While advance directives are quite common for patients with physical impairments, advance directives for people with mental impairments are controversial. In many countries, including Germany, there ...

In August, 2014, following the tragic suicide of comic genius Robin Williams, Kay Redfield Jamison published an article in the NY Times titled “To Know Suicide.” In this essay, Dr. Jamison mentions ...

Yvonne Smith has had a pair of mental illnesses diagnosed over the years, but it wasn't until a severe psychotic episode landed her in a psychiatric ward that she came to a sober realization: Although ...

It’s likely you’ve heard of a “living will,” a legal document that outlines one’s preferences for their medical treatment in the event of a serious or terminal illness that renders them unable to ...

States generally allow a person (principal) to appoint another person (agent) to make health care decisions, receive protected health information, or both on the principal’s behalf. In many states, ...

Periodically in this column we address the importance of obtaining power of attorney documents so that individuals may appoint trusted agents to handle their legal and financial affairs and make ...