Repatriation of a patient under a forensic order from Australia to Thailand.

OBJECTIVE

A person who develops a serious mental illness whilst visiting Australia may encounter substantial barriers to treatment, rehabilitation and eventual repatriation to his home country. Particularly when English is not the person's first language and there are no supports in Australia, the person will have special needs whilst recovering from his or her illness. Further difficulties arise if the person has been charged with a serious offence.

METHOD: We present the case of a 23 year old single Thai citizen who had been living in Australia on an overseas student visa before he was charged with a serious violent offence in the context of a mental illness.

RESULTS

Following an assessment at the watch-house, the patient was diagnosed with an untreated psychotic illness. The patient was subsequently admitted from a remand prison to a secure mental hospital and became subject to the involuntary treatment provisions of the Queensland Mental Health Act.

CONCLUSIONS

With a detailed multi-disciplinary rehabilitation plan and the assistance of a transcultural mental health service, a patient with a serious mental illness may be rehabilitated to enable negotiations with multiple government and non-government agencies to facilitate the patient's return to his country of origin.