If you are like many of us, you have good intentions about finishing a project; then something seems to get in the way. That may be true if you have started to complete a Psychiatric Advance Directives’ Form (PAD)

A PAD is a legal document that tells treatment providers your preferences for treatment in a mental health crisis. You can give consent for or decline specific future psychiatric treatment, AND/OR authorize a trusted person to make treatment decisions in a crisis, based on your written preferences. At first, the form may seem hard to understand. How to answer all those questions? How do I know what kind of treatment I want? Several resources are available to help! You are not alone in this project.

· For confidential discussions, contact PAD workshop co-facilitators Ashish George (ageorge@naminc.org) or Diane Krisanda (dianekrisanda@gmail.com); or contact Gail Pruitt, a NAMI North Carolina staff member with nursing background in mental health care (gpruett@naminc.org).

· For guidance to help you decide what is best in a crisis, talk with your provider, trusted friends, family members.

· For information videos and testimonials, watch NAMI North Carolina – PAD Information

· For fact sheets and step-by-step guidance, go to the National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives

· Attend the next free PAD Training Session (January 24th at noon). Click here to register for this or future virtual sessions.

Finishing the PAD can bring you peace of mind and a sense of accomplishment! Put it on your to-do list today!