The result of an application for commitment may be confinement in a setting and with treatment not accepted by the individual who is committed. An advance directive can prevent, or at least decrease the possibility of, a legal procedure to commit a person to involuntary treatment. It may prevent a situation in which a person with mental illness is taken into custody by a law enforcement officer. The advance directive may enable treatment to be provided early in a crisis, resolving the crisis earlier than if all conditions needed for commitment are evident in the individual's life. Family members may be involved in creating an advance directive, increasing participation and cooperation in treatment and enhancing family relations.
C reating an advance directive is a very personal activity.
Whether or not you have created an advance directive concerning life supports or organ donation, consider how personal that is. It is the same with an advance psychiatric directive. A person with a mental illness must be allowed to decide on his or her own whether an advance directive is desired. Informing a family with a mental illness of the possibilities of an advance directive and how it might be developed can be helpful. Information about advance directives can be obtained from this toolkit or from your attorney.