The mental health law is one of the laws concerned with health care. It aims to organize and strengthen the provision of the necessary mental health care for mentally ill patients. It also targets protecting their rights, preserving their dignity, as well as their families’, and set a mechanism for their treatment in psychotherapy facilities. 

 

Other health care laws that deal with mentally ill patients is the Saudi Commission for Medical Specialties (SCHS) law, the Health Profession Practice Law, the Food and Drug Authority Law, and other health regulations. The Executive Plan of the National Transformation Program has launched an initiative to prepare centers for providing preliminary psychological care. 

The Kingdom, represented by MOH, meets international standards in terms of developing health services for mentally ill patients, increasing the number of trained therapists, and participating in the Gulf Mental Health Program.

MOH provides health care to citizens, free of charge, in its medical facilities, in accordance with the National Transformation Program in the health sector, which works to meet the sector's needs.  

Since mental illness and neurological diseases are some of the problems that many individuals, families, and societies deal with and deem a burden in terms of various health, social, and economic aspects, MOH has worked to promote mental health as an integral part of public health. It has developed plans for effective prevention of mental disorders and gave special attention to mental health programs for children and adolescents, as well as school health programs. 

Furthermore, MOH has decided to change the name of the Primary Psychological Clinic in primary Health care centers (PHCs) to Comprehensive Guidance Clinic, in order to increase attraction and prevent making visitors of these clinics uncomfortable. 

In the Kingdom, there are 21 mental health hospitals, with a clinical capacity of 4,046 beds, in addition to 99 psychiatric clinics, and 14 specialized hospitals under construction. Moreover, the Ministry is working on implementing an initiative to prepare health facilities in its hospitals to establish inpatient hospitalization wards for psychiatric patients in general and specialized hospitals. The capacity is expected to be more than 100 beds, within 10% of the bed capacity. 

HE, the Minister of Health, chairs the National Committee for Mental Health Promotion (NCMH), which aims to promote mental health in the community. It does that by spreading information and raising awareness on mental illnesses, their causes, and the ways to deal with them. It also aims to assist mental patients and their families to obtain curative and rehabilitation services and promotes access to a better life. The Ministry has also supported the Saudi National Survey of Mental Health.

In addition, MOH has launched several initiatives to treat mental conditions. These initiatives include the Comprehensive Health Counseling Initiative (Primary Mental Care Program), which targets the early detection of depression and anxiety among primary health center clients to alleviate the suffering of patients by providing comprehensive primary psychological services. 

Additionally, Health Schools Program works to implement measures aimed at promoting health, alongside the educational process for students, in an integrated partnership between the Ministries of Health and Education. It has also launched "Attention Groups”, one of the primary health care development initiatives in the Assistant Agency for Primary Healthcare. It aims to link medical treatments and provide emotional support by sharing patients’ experiences and stories with their illnesses to allow them to encourage each other. The National Center for Disease Prevention and Control has published the Mental and Social Health Guide.

Out of MOH's belief in the right to empower patients and involve them in making decisions that support and improve the services provided to them, it has been keen on clarifying patient’s rights and responsibilities towards health facilities in the Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities. 

This takes place in cooperation with the concerned authorities in the field of health care services, taking into consideration the human and social rights and duties that the bill guarantees to individuals. This aims to improve the services provided to them, increase patients' confidence in health facilities, and consolidate joint health and humanitarian work among service providers and recipients at all levels. 

The Ministry also provided patients with complaint forms to be filed in cases of negligence while receiving health services. The Mental and Social Health General Department provides various complaint forms.  The rights of mental patients include a depression test, “You are Entitled to Psychiatric Care”, and others.

The mental health awareness platform addresses various important topics, such as:

PHCs, through the interactive map, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Emergency Health Care Centers, through on-duty health centers - 24 hours.

Hospitals emergency departments, through the interactive map - 24 hours.