“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.

Ohio Mental Health Resources

Ohio Declaration for Mental Health Treatment statute link – click to see the state statute as it appears on the Ohio Legislature website.

Ohio statute as a pdfImage

Ohio Declaration for Mental Health Treatment/Assignment of Mental Health Care Proxy formImage

“How to Make Decisions About Your Mental Health Treatment Ahead of Time”PDF
Developed by the Ohio Legal Rights Service, the purpose of this workbook is to give you information about Advance Directives – specifically about the “Declaration for Mental Health Treatment” – and to guide you through the process of deciding if you want one or need one. They have also published a comprehensive booklet titled “Advance Directives for Mental Health Treatment in Ohio”.  

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.