“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.

Maryland Mental Health Resources

Maryland Advance Directive for Mental Health Services statute link – click to see the statute as it appears on the Maryland General Assembly website. 
Note: Once you follow the link, select “Health – General (ghg)” from “Article” and choose any of the sections from 5-601 to 5-604 to view the legislation. 

Maryland Advance Directive for Mental Health Services as a pdfPDF

Maryland Advance Directive for Mental Health Treatment formPDF – Created by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Maryland Advance Directive: Planning for Future Health Care Decisions – A guide on Maryland law for health care decisions from the Maryland Attorney General. More information about advance directives can be found here. 

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.