Bill 23: An Act mainly to provide better support to persons whose mental state could present a risk for their own safety or that of others

This bill primarily affects Quebec health and social services establishments — hospitals, rehabilitation centres, and long-term care facilities — that deal with patients in mental health crises. If you run or work in one of these facilities, your day-to-day intake, custody, and discharge processes will change: you'll need to adopt or update a formal protocol governing involuntary holds, document new information in patient files, and file quarterly reports to Santé Québec on the number and types of holds. Specialized nurse practitioners (infirmières praticiennes spécialisées en santé mentale) gain new authority to conduct psychiatric exams and authorize temporary holds, which changes staffing and supervision workflows. Crisis intervention organizations under contract with Santé Québec are also directly affected, as are police services and ambulance operators who play a role in transporting individuals against their will under new defined conditions. The bill is essentially Quebec-wide and applies regardless of facility size, though larger public establishments with more complex governance structures will face the most significant reporting and protocol obligations.