The mental health law that took effect on Wednesday will help protect the rights of mentally ill people and, in some cases, prevent them from being forcibly hospitalized, experts said.

Experts also called for an improvement in the awareness of mental health issues to ensure that patients get timely treatment.

The new law stipulates that mental health checks and medical treatment should be conducted on a voluntary basis, except to people diagnosed with severe mental illnesses or who are considered a danger to themselves or others.