Virtual Resources for Psychiatric Advanced Directives

As we think about helping clients cope with potential crises, now might be a time to explore using (or updating) psychiatric advanced directives with clients. A psychiatric advance directive (PAD) is a legal document that documents a person’s preferences for future mental health treatment, and allows appointment of a health proxy to interpret those preferences during a crisis. PADs may be drafted when a person is well enough to consider preferences for future mental health treatment. PADs are used when a person becomes unable to make decisions during a mental health crisis.

The SMI Advisor is developing an app that will connect to the state PAD Network to assist in creating and updating PADs. It will be part of their "My Mental Health Crisis Plan" feature. More information on the SMI Advisor app can be found here: smiadviser.org/getapp

Currently, forms and information for setting up PADs in your state can be found here: www.nrc-pad.org/