This document was originally prepared by the New Zealand National Schizophrenia fellowship. It has been adapted to the needs of Canadians.

The family has the right to:

• a family centered approach to treatment and support. Research shows that when the family is integrated into the treatment team, better care, management, and outcome is achieved for the person with mental illness. You have a right to  services, which educate and inform families about mental illness. Mental health services should support families and protect the rights of families.
• Family support organizations funded by health care dollars. Families have the right to services, which educate and inform them about mental illness. How to advocate, how to handle situations and how to keep themselves healthy and where to find family support
• be treated with understanding and respect. This is a basic right that must be adhered to by all health professionals and services when dealing with clients or families of their service.
• be taken seriously when expressing concerns about changes in a person's behavior. A caring relationship should be supported and fostered by mental health services. It is important that family concerns are not ignored or avoided by mental health workers.. Family as users of mental health services has the right to clearly communicate with health workers, and have open, honest, and effective discussions.
• information about a family members illness, the diagnosis, treatment and possible side effects of treatment. Your family member may refuse consent to a health care professional to give you specific information. You are still be entitled to education and information about mental illness in general, and strategies for coping.
• provide relevant information about a family member's history in confidence. You should be listened to. There is nothing to prevent you from advising a health care practitioner about matters relating to the treatment of your relative. Your confidentiality should be respected.
• inclusion in care planning, implementation and review. Working together ensures that the goals for treatment, care and recovery are understood and agreed by everyone involved. The needs of your relative and your needs will change over time. A good service will treat families as equal partners in care, so that the chances of recovery are maximized.
• know the names and contact numbers of the other members of the care-giving team. This is an essential component of co-ordinated care. If you are supporting a person in the community, you must know who to call for help if you need advice and assistance in your caring role.
• rapid response in all situations, but especially in an emergency. This is a basic consumer right. Every mental health service, which provides emergency assistance, should be required to do so in a specific time limit, usually 4-6 hours. Families and consumers should be aware of service responsibilities.
• be consulted about a family member's discharge plan. Hospital discharge plans should be developed in collaboration with families or other caregivers.. Information about discharge from treatment is vital to families to ensure continuity of care and follow-up.
• help for problems created by caring for a family member with a mental illness. The best treatment for mental illness includes supporting the family or other care- giver as well as the person with the illness. You should have information, education, and support so that you are able to cope with difficult events.
• time out when required to prevent "burnout" or to cope with stress. If you are a primary caregiver for a person with severe mental illness, you should be entitled to annual "care-giver" support. Respite time according to the needs of the individual caregiver.
• seek other options regarding the diagnosis and treatment of a relative. You have the right to professional assistance, which is effective and helpful. A second opinion is standard practice in all branches of medicine.
• culturally accepted treatment options, which are inclusive of the family. Mental health services should be required to take into account your cultural, religious, social and ethnic needs values and beliefs.
• mechanisms of complaint and redress. You should have the right to complain to an ombudsman or other such authority if you are unhappy with mental health services.
• a mental health service that recognizes the need for families to participate in shaping the service, and invites families to take part in service planning, implementation and evaluation. Family experience and advice is a valuable resource, which should be used by mental health service planners to improve treatment and care for individuals and families.