“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.

Wisconsin Mental Health Resources

Wisconsin Power of Attorney for Health Care statute – click to see the statute as it appears on the Wisconsin State Legislature website. 

Wisconsin Power of Attorney for Health Care statute pdfPDF

Wisconsin Advance Directive/Power of Attorney for Health Care form and instructions pdfPDF

Disability Rights Wisconsin website

Wisconsin’s POA-HC statute prohibits Developmentally Disabled or Mentally Ill principals from appointing a health care agent with the power to admit to a nursing home or group home over 16 beds:

155.0(2)(c)2.c, Wis Stats. states, “A healthcare agent may consent to the admission of a principal to the following facilities, under the following conditions: (c.) to a nursing home or a CBRF if the principal is not diagnosed as having a developmental disability or as having a mental illness at the time of the proposed admission.”

Although Wisconsin does not currently have a specific statute for a psychiatric advance directive, you can  learn more about general advance directives for health care in Wisconsin 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.