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.
Maine Mental Health Resources
Maine Uniform Health Care Decisions Act link – click to see the state statute as it appears on the Maine Legislature website.
Disability Rights Maine resources:
- Health Care Directive and Power of Attorney Form
- Health Care Directive Only
- Health Care Power of Attorney Only
- Advance Health Care Directives for Planning Mental Health Care manual
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.