title: An ethical argument for a right to mental health care.
abstract: The author reviews moral arguments supporting a right to medical care, as well as empirical data concerning the effects of mental illness on society, and explores their relevance to a rights-based claim to mental health care. He concludes that there is ample ethical justification for a right to mental health care, given the obvious benefit it would convey to individuals and to society at large. He believes that this compelling moral claim should be translated into health policy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20007, USA.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006291:Health Policy; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D009014:Morals; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D012945:Social Values