| GOVERNOR RENDELL
SIGNS BILLS ON
ADVANCE DIRECTIVES AND MENTAL HEALTH MINOR’S CONSENT
HARRISBURG: Governor Edward G. Rendell joined mental
health advocates as he signed bills that will help protect some
of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens.
During the ceremonial bill signing, the Governor signed House Bill
2036, sponsored by Rep. George Kenny, which provides mental health
consumers with the ability to make decisions about their mental
health care treatment before their illnesses cause them to be unable
to make those decisions.
Governor Rendell also signed Senate Bill 137, sponsored by Sen.
Hal Mowery, which amends the Minor’s Consent Act and allows
a parent to consent to mental health treatment for a child 14 to
17 years old if the child has refused treatment.
HB 2036, the psychiatric advance directive, allows consumers of
the mental health system who are 18 or older (or emancipated minors)
to make decisions about their treatment before their illnesses make
them unable to do so. The law became effective on Jan. 28, 2005.
“Psychiatric advance directives are similar to living wills,”
Governor Rendell said before signing HB 2036. “They allow
mental health consumers to make their choices for treatment known
in the event that they become too sick to speak for themselves.
The directives are a clear and written statement of an individual’s
medical treatment preferences or other wishes or instructions, which
might include: medications to be given; which doctor to call; and
whether more extreme therapies may be used.
“People who talk to their treatment providers about their
preferences, as well as what may be done to prevent a relapse, may
feel more in control of their care and have a better opportunity
for recovery.”
Governor Rendell also signed SB 137 which removes barriers to mental
health services for children and helps ensure that those health
services are provided as early as possible. The changes became effective
on Jan. 22, 2005.
“My Administration is committed to expanding and improving
community based-services for mental health consumers, promoting
treatment that is focused on recovery, and ending the discrimination
and stigma against people with mental illnesses,” Governor
Rendell said.
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