Advance directives (ADs) help ensure individuals receive treatment according to their wishes during a crisis, when they do not have the capacity to make medical decisions. AD Facilitation helps people understand options for care, examine their personal values, and make and voice decisions so they may be honored. When people with mental illness have control over their treatment plans, they experience greater autonomy and self-determination and even feel more connected to their care team. ADs can prevent ineffective, unwanted, or possibly harmful treatment or actions, including restraint or seclusion. Health care agents feel more confident making decisions, knowing that they are honoring their loved ones’ expressed wishes.

HCV promotes equitable access to ACP among communities at greatest risk of poor health care experiences, including racial/ethnic minorities, low-wealth communities, and those with mental illness. HCV is one of the few ACP organizations in the country to have expanded beyond hospitals to innovate community-based strategies that allow individuals to consider what “living well” means to them in settings where they are most comfortable and with those whose counsel they trust. In partnership with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), HCV is committed to implementing Advance Directives across the Commonwealth, particularly in community-based mental health service settings.

This session is being offered to provide high quality, comprehensive Qualified Advance Directive Facilitator (QADF) training to professionals who would like to help individuals receiving mental health services complete ADs with instruction for mental health care. This interactive, personalized intervention of helping an individual complete an AD, called facilitation, is a vital service for increasing the use of ADs to match the demand in the community.

This training is highly interactive and will require your video to be on for the majority of the training.