Has a loved one experienced a mental health crisis and temporarily lost control of their affairs?
You are not alone as millions of Americans struggle with mental health issues. has allowed individuals to designate agents to handle financial or medical matters if they become incapacitated. However, Georgia law had no mechanism to allow someone to appoint a mental health attorney in the event of incapacity. Georgia joins the ranks of other states, including Florida, New York, California, North Carolina and Illinois, where individuals can appoint agents for mental health care issues.
Beginning July 1, 2022, Georgia will have the right to appoint a surrogate to make mental health care decisions when an individual experiences a mental health crisis that prevents them from adequately expressing their treatment preferences. I admit it. Individuals can designate an agent and inform that agent of their treatment preferences in Georgia’s new Psychiatric Advance Directive. Designated representatives have the right to “receive information about proposed mental health care and to consent to the receipt, review, and disclosure of medical records related to that mental health care, including records relating to treatment for substance use disorders.” has Annotated Public Code of Georgia § 37-11-6.
Georgia’s Psychiatric Advance Directive allows individuals to list symptoms and behaviors they tend to exhibit before a mental health crisis begins. Can state techniques for mitigating health crises. You can list the names and phone numbers of doctors, therapists, pharmacists, and other mental health care professionals. In addition, you can list the types of medications you take, allergies to medications, treatment preferences, and treatment locations.
While Georgia law has for decades allowed individuals to notify designated agents of their treatment preferences in cases of incapacity, Georgia’s Psychiatric Advance Directive states that Georgia’s It is the first time that legislation has granted such authority over mental health matters. It can provide a wealth of information about treatment preferences that helps people maintain dignity.
