Alliance Note: A mental health or psychiatric advance directive (PAD) is a legal tool that allows a person with mental health and co-occurring substance use challenge(s) to state their preferences for treatment and services, especially for emergency situations. Psychiatric advance directives are meant to protect a person’s autonomy and allow them to direct their own care even during a crisis. While psychiatric advance directives have been in use for several decades now, interest in PADs has been growing rapidly over the past year or two.
The Alliance’s CEO, Harvey Rosenthal, recently moderated a webinar hosted by SAMHSA’s Office of Recovery and the SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK) which included a host of national experts who shared their unique perspectives on the value of psychiatric advance directives and what is needed to increase utilization. We are a very active SPARK partner that has also been offering training on PADs in New York since the 1990’s and we are currently working with NYS Office of Mental Health to update this critically important tool to help guide voluntary support to people in a crisis based on what they know will help them achieve wellness. See below for more information, including a recording of the webinar.
In honor of the 25th Anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision, the Substance Abuse and Menta Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Office of Recovery hosted an event with support via the OR’s SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK) to share how psychiatric advance directives (PAD) can promote community living! This event described the benefits and challenges of completing a PAD, highlighted the role peers can play in advancing PAD usage, and shared tools and innovations. Provider, advocate, and peer perspectives were included.
We invited people with mental health conditions, their families, peer support specialists, and health and behavioral health professionals—including state and county providers—who want to learn more about psychiatric advance directives. We provided opportunities for questions and answers and to connect with others around the country.
A psychiatric or mental health advance directive (PAD) is a legal tool that allows a person with mental health and co-occurring substance use condition(s) to state their preferences for treatment and services, particularly during crisis situations, and can protect a person’s autonomy and ability to self-direct care.
Speakers:
- Ira Burnim, Senior Counsel, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
- Rayshell Chambers, MPA, Painted Brain
- Elisha Coffey, MSW, CPS, Vice President of States Advocacy, Mental Health America
- Matthew Federici, MS, CPRP, CEO, Copeland Center for Wellness & Recovery
- Neeraj Gandotra, MD, Chief Medical Officer, SAMHSA
- Harvey Rosenthal, CEO, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery
- Kiran Sahota, Concepts Forward Consulting
Watch the Webinar Recording: Psychiatric Advance Directives to Promote Community Living – YouTube