The court ruled that the Vermont law allowing the state to involuntarily medicate individuals who had been civilly committed or judged mentally ill while imprisoned, despite having previously executed durable POA for health care to the contrary, was a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In Arizona’s mental health community, legal guardians and agents often encounter roadblocks when attempting to use conferred authority to seek psychiatric treatment for an incapacitated individual. These challenges are reported by medical providers, lawyers, agents, guardians, and even persons requiring mental health treatment. A frequent example is that of a treatment facility refusing to honor a guardian’s or agent’s authority when an attempt is made to obtain mental health assistance for a person needing treatment. As the result of obstacles, guardians and agents are forced to seek other avenues to obtain psychiatric treatment for the individual, which delays the provision of care and may escalate psychiatric crisis. All too often, the guardian “gives up” fighting the system, and the person requiring treatment fails to obtain timely intervention.
A total of 238 surveys were distributed; 71 were returned, a response rate of 30 percent. Most respondents expressed that MHG and MHPOA were useful tools to obtain mental health care for incapacitated wards, and reported experiences in which the requested level of psychiatric treatment was obtained with use of designated legal powers.
MHG and MHPOA are necessary to address situations in which a person is not competent to make mental health decisions for himself or herself. Current feedback from Arizona mental health providers and attorneys indicates that the processes of obtaining and using these legal powers are not well understood and can be cumbersome. Procedures for obtaining mental health powers must be streamlined while protecting the rights of the potential ward/principal.
A frequent example is that of a treatment facility refusing to honor a guardian’s or agent’s authority when an attempt is made to obtain mental health assistance for a person needing treatment .
An attorney should thoroughly explain why this may happen and strategies to overcome these hurdles so as to prepare the guardian or agent for future decisions for the ward or principal. Guardians and agents also should be made aware of the mental health resources in the area.
Typically, a POA is invoked at the time that the ward is deemed not competent to make decisions about medical care. An example of a situation in which a POA is used is when the principal is comatose. Mental Health Power of Attorney (MHPOA).
You can make several different types of POAs in Arizona. In particular, many estate plans include two POAs:
For your POA to be valid in Arizona, it must meet certain requirements.
Some private companies offer forms or templates with blanks that you can fill out to create your POA. For a more user-friendly experience, you can try a software program like WillMaker, which guides you through a series of questions to arrive at a POA that meets your specific aims and is valid in your state.
Legally speaking, you can name any competent adult to serve as your agent. But you'll want to take into account certain practical considerations, such as the person's trustworthiness and geographical location. For more on choosing agents, see What Is a Power of Attorney.
Your POA is effective immediately unless it explicitly states that it takes effect at a future date.
Any power of attorney automatically ends at your death. A durable POA also ends if:
These are civil courts that have an assigned judge, mental health professional, prosecutor, and public defender. A person eighteen years of age or older may be ordered by the court to comply with mental health treatment.
Usually the person filing is a social worker, family member, or friend. The application asks a mental health agency to conduct an evaluation to determine whether the person is in need of court ordered evaluation for potential court ordered treatment for their mental disorder. These agencies are known as screening agencies; the initial application is turned into them.
Chronic even with treatment. PAD ( Persistent or Acute Disability) – Significantly suffering due to untreated mental health disorder; unable to understand advantages vs. disadvantages of various treatment options; likely to benefit from treatment.
If an individual is already on a court ordered treatment plan and they have relapsed into a crisis situation, contact the crisis hotline in your area . Then, if you are able, contact their social worker or case manager.
Any responsible person can file an application for a court ordered evaluation if they believe that, due to a mental disorder, a person is: a danger to self, a danger to others, gravely disabled, or. persistently and acutely disabled.