Virginia Advance Directives
Recent History of ADs in Virginia
The Virginia General Assembly revised the Health Care Decisions Act (HCDA) in 2009. The changes were based on recommendations made by the Virginia Supreme Court’s Commission on Mental Health Law Reform. The Commission gathered information and suggestions from different groups around the state. The Commission’s Task Force on Empowerment and Self Determination made advance directives one of its major focuses. It made several recommendations about how to expand the state’s HCDA.
Current Project in Virginia
Virginia is working to put the HCDA changes into practice. Key stakeholder groups came up with a consensus-based plan to promote the use of Advance Directives among mental health consumers. This effort was coordinated by the Commission on Mental Health Law Reform during 2010, and is now overseen by a Coordinating Committee for Promoting Use of Advance Directives by People with Mental Illness.
The Coordinating Committee’s members are from private organizations and public agencies around Virginia. Its work includes:
This website is not intended to provide legal advice. It is merely a guide, and reflects one view of Advance Directives in Virginia. It can be beneficial to consult with an attorney regarding your Advance Directive. However, the intention of Virginia’s law on Advance Directives is to enable and encourage all capable adults to fill out an Advance Directive on their own.
This website is designed and administered by Mental Health America of Virginia (MHAV) and is funded through a grant by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.
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