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Advanced Directives

There may come a time when you become unable to manage your health care and a family member or other person close to you is making decisions on your behalf. By planning, you can arrange now for your wishes to be carried out. An advanced directive is a set of directions you give about the medical and mental health care you want if you ever lose the ability to make decisions for yourself.

Making an advanced directive is your choice. If you become unable to make your own decisions, and you have no advance directive, your provider/doctor or behavioral health provider will consult with someone close to you about your care. We strongly encourage you to discuss your wishes for medical and behavioral health treatment with your family and friends now. This will help to make sure that you get the level of treatment you want if you can no longer tell your provider/doctor or other physical or behavioral health providers what you want.

North Carolina has three ways for you to make a formal advanced directive. These include living wills, health care power of attorney and advance instructions for mental health treatment.