Advance Directives

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Page last updated: 7/24/06

National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives

Enforcing Advance Directives: P&As Assist Individuals to Retain Self Determination In Times of Mental Health Crisis. (PDF)

Second Circuit Overturns Vermont Law Limiting the Right of Individuals with Mental Illness to Enforce Advance Directives

Advance Directive for Mental Health Care: An Analysis of State Statutes, by Bob Fleischner, Center for Public Representation. This manual prepared in October 1999 attempts to describe some the elements of state advance health care directive statutes that are of particular relevance to people with mental illness. The table analyzes the statutes of each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia in several areas

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law developed a template which can be used to prepare such a psychiatric advance directive. The document you produce with these template forms will be an advance directive for mental health decision making only; it will not cover decisions about other medical or surgical treatment. This link will also bring you to numerous other resources on advance directives on the Bzelon Center website.

Psychiatric Advance Directives and the Treatment of Committed Patients, by Paul S. Appelbaum, M.D. Published in the Journal of Law and Psychiatry

Following are various Protection and Advocacy agencies with Advance Directive information on their websites:

Consumer Training Manual on Advance Directives in Washington State.

Advance Directives for Mental Health Care an Overview for Service Providers in Washington State.

The New York P&A also has information about mental health care advance directives on its website.

The Ohio Legal Rights Center, the Ohio P&A has on its website information about Advance Directives for Health Care and a form for a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (PDF)

The Oregon Advocacy Center (the state's protection and advocacy system) has produced a guide for consumers and families on the state's mental health law, which includes information on a "Declaration for Mental Health Treatment" , which can include decisions on medications, ECT and hospitalization, under certain circumstances.

The Maine P&A has a manual for consumers on advance directives. Advance Health Care Directives: For planning mental health care. This manual is designed to help individuals: Learn more about an advance directive for mental health care; decide whether you want one; develop and advance directive for mental health care; Use your advance directive for mental health care; and know some problems in using one in Maine.