New Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives

A new resource called The National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives (NRC-PAD) is now available at http://www.nrc-pad.org.  The NRC-PAD offers mental health consumers, family members, clinicians, and policymakers timely information about Psychiatric Advance Directives (PADs), including:

• Introduction to PADs
• Forms to complete PADs
• Links to state statutes
• Educational webcasts
• Discussion forums
• Frequently-Asked-Questions
• Past and up-to-date research

The NRC-PAD is designed to be a gathering place for stakeholders to learn about psychiatric advance directives, and to learn how to complete these legal documents. The NRC-PAD aims to assist in implementing laws that support consumer self-determination and high-quality mental health care.

The NRC-PAD was developed by The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and The Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center.  Twenty-two states have created specific forms for psychiatric advance directives, which are also available on the site. The resource center also links to healthcare directive forms for the remaining states, or consumers can use the Bazelon Center’s template for a PAD at: http://www.bazelon.org/issues/advancedirectives.