Mental Health Directive

Mental Health Directive

Creating a mental health directive, or a psychiatric directive, is a precautionary step for anyone who has a chronic mental illness. A mental health directive allows you to provide clear, well-considered instructions about your care before you are in crisis. Because estate attorneys are well-versed in helping clients create healthcare directives, an estate lawyer can also help you craft your mental health directive.

The primary benefit of a mental health directive is to provide an attending physician with instructions for your care. To diagnose mental illnesses, doctors generally rely on the patient for a description of symptoms. However, if you are in not well, you might be unable to provide the necessary help in setting a course for treatment. A physician unfamiliar with your history might need a health directive to understand what treatments have previously worked well.

A mental health directive will also allow you to name someone to speak on your behalf. Again, because mental illness is difficult to diagnose and treat, having an advocate familiar with your specific set of problems can reduce treatment time.

Generally, your mental illness health directive will go into effect when you are deemed unable to make decisions for yourself. The physicians at your treatment facility (or a judge) will make the determination of your ability to speak on your own behalf.

When you create your mental health directive, you should also take the time to create a power of attorney. Because your mental health directive agent will not be able to make financial decisions for you, you should appoint someone to be responsible for managing your finances. That person can be the same as your mental health agent, if you wish.