Catamarca judiciary addresses rising adolescent addiction cases

In Catamarca, Argentina, the rise in substance abuse among children and adolescents has transitioned from a strictly sanitary issue to a judicial and social emergency. The availability of inpatient facilities for minors aged 12 to 13 with severe addiction issues at the Hospital de Niños Eva Perón has prompted discussions regarding state response capacity and the role of the judiciary.

Judge María Elisabet Salas, specializing in Family and Gender Violence, stated that judicial interventions are strictly governed by the National Mental Health Law and provincial regulations. The judiciary's role focuses on the legal oversight of both voluntary and involuntary hospitalizations to ensure human rights are respected and to prevent the stigmatization of patients. In cases involving high-risk situations, such as severely decompensated adolescents, the court works alongside the Office of Minors and Incapables and the Mental Health Review Body to safeguard patient guarantees.