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New Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives

July 17, 2006—The Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center and the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law are proud to launch the National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives (NRC-PAD), at http://www.nrc-pad.org. The NRC-PAD offers mental health consumers, family members, clinicians and policymakers timely information about PADs, including:

• Introduction to PADs
• Forms to complete PADs
• Links to state statutes
• Educational webcasts
• Discussion forums
• Frequently-Asked-Questions
• Past and up-to-date research 

The NRC-PAD will be a key gathering place for stakeholders to learn about psychiatric advance directives and how to complete these legal documents. The NRC-PAD aims to assist in implementing laws that support patient self-determination and high-quality mental health care.

Twenty-two states have created specific forms for PADs, available through the NRC-PAD. The resource center also links to healthcare directive forms for the remaining states, or consumers can use the Bazelon Center’s template for a PAD at http://www.bazelon.org/issues/advancedirectives.