“This time, with a PAD, I did not receive any treatments that I did not want. They were very respectful. I really felt like the hospital took better care of me because I had my PAD. In fact, I think it’s the best care that I’ve ever received.” Read More PAD Stories...

About PADs

  • 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.

Colorado Mental Health Resources

HB19-1044: Advance Behavioral Health Orders Treatment – click to see the state bill as it appears on the Colorado General Assembly website. 

Making Health Care Decisions: Colorado Advance Directive GuideImage by Kaiser Permanente

Advance directive & living will planning website from UCHealth

For more information about the recent HB19-1044 bill, refer to this summary from Mental Health Colorado 

If you know of any relevant current legislation, pending legislation, or general issues of interest relating to psychiatric advance directives in your state, click here to contact us.