“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.

Massachusetts Mental Health Resources

Massachusetts Health Care Proxies statute link – click to see the state statute as it appears on the Massachusetts Legislature website.

Massachusetts Health Care Proxies statute as a pdfPDF

Massachusetts Health Care Proxy formPDF – provided by the Massachusetts Medical Society

Although Massachusetts does not currently have a specific statute for a psychiatric advance directive, you can learn more about general advance directives for health care in Massachusetts at the Caring Connections website. 

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.