Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPAHC) for Mental
Health Consumers
 
California Protection and Advocacy, Inc (PAI) has developed
a Do-It-Yourself Kit for creating DPHAC's.  The materials
are targeted to expressing one's wishes about mental health
treatment, even under involuntary, emergency, and conserved
status.
 
The kit includes an advisory on choosing a health care
agent, a treatment options worksheet, advocate/self
interview forms, DPHAC forms to complete and have witnessed,
and a wallet card to always carry.
 
The Federal Patient Self-Determination Act which requires
hospitals to query patients about the existence of a DPHAC
applies to mental health inpatients also.  PAI is presenting
an eight hour seminar, hold over two days, to introduce the
materials.
 
For more information: 
 
PAI 
100 Howe Ave 185N
Sacramento CA 95825
1 800 776 5746
 
Are other states going forward with work in this area?  What
is the situation in other countries?
 
This can be an extraordinarily powerful tool to take
responsibility for our own care, and to limit the
paternalism of the current system.