Who gets to make my medical decisions? (Part 5)
There’s another way we can make sure our wishes regarding treatment are followed when we’re not able to make decisions for ourselves. The form I’m describing today is a Declaration for Mental Health Treatment (DMHT), and it allows you to make decisions about mental health treatment. Specifically, the form allows you to specify treatment in three areas: psychoactive medication, convulsive therapy and emergency mental health treatment. I’ll describe your options for each one.
Psychoactive medication: You can consent, or not consent, to specific medications, as well as consent to classes of medications that have been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Convulsive therapy: You can consent or not consent to convulsive treatment, often described as “ECT.”
Emergency mental health treatment: In this section of the DMHT, you can list your preferences regarding restraint, seclusion, and/or medications. This includes your preference for the order that medical professionals provide restraint, seclusion, and medications, and if you have a preference regarding the gender of the person administering restraint, seclusion, or medications.
As with other forms, you’ll need to sign the form with a notary and have the form notarized, or sign it in front of two competent witnesses. There are limitations regarding who you can use as a witness, and the limitations are described on the form.
Also, as with the other forms, you’ll want to keep the original and give copies to trusted people. It would also be a good idea to bring the DMHT to local hospitals and inpatient psychiatric facilities so they can add it to their records. This form goes into effect when someone has been determined to be incapacitated and cannot be revoked while the person continues to be incapacitated. As with other forms, it may seem like there’s no urgent reason to have this completed, but doing so will ensure that your preferences are honored when there’s an emergency and you’re not able to let people know what your preferences are.
