How the Center serves individuals and families.

West Virginians want their wishes respected and their pain controlled near the end of life. The Center for End-of-Life Care provides information to individuals and their loved ones so that they can make informed choices and receive the treatment they want.  Completing advance directives and/or medical orders (POST and DNR) is always voluntary.  These forms can be very beneficial in documenting individuals' end of life care wishes, and the e-Directive Registry helps ensure these forms translate into patient care.

The contents of this webpage are intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion. For legal advice, please consult an attorney.

Start your advance directive today.

1. Living Will

   A living will is a legal document that tells your doctor how you want to be treated if you are terminally ill or permanently unconscious and cannot make decisions for yourself. In the past few years, 11% of West Virginians who have completed an advance directive have done this form.

   Learn more about the Living Will

   Medical Power of Attorney

   A medical power of attorney is a legal document that allows you to name a person to make health care decisions for you if you are too sick to make them for yourself. In the past few years, 26% of West Virginians who have completed an advance directive have done this form.

   Learn more about the Medical Power of Attorney

   Combined Living Will/Medical Power of Attorney

   This one document combines both the living will and medical power of attorney documents and should be used if you want to name a health care decision maker and do not want machines and other medical interventions to keep you alive when you are dying or permanently unconscious. Most West Virginians (62%) who complete an advance directive complete this form.

   Learn more about the Combined Living Will/Medical Power of Attorney

   Mental Health Advance Directive

   A mental health advance directive (MHAD), also known as a psychiatric advance directive, is a legal tool that allows persons with mental illness to state their preferences for treatment in advance of a crisis. MHAD provides a way to protect a person’s autonomy and ability to self-direct care for treatment of mental health disorders similar to medical powers of attorneys, living wills and other medical advance care planning documents used to direct care for medical disorders in palliative care and end-of-life care.

   Learn more about the Mental Health Advance Directive

2. e-Directive Registry Opt-In Form

   If your advance directive or medical order is older and does not contain an “Opt-In” box at the top, the e-Directive Registry must have your permission to include your documents in the Registry. Additional information about you is also needed to place your forms in the Registry so that you will not be confused with another person who has the same name. Click on the link below for the necessary form and send it to the Registry with a copy of your documents.

   Download the E-DIRECTIVE REGISTRY OPT-IN FORM (PDF)

3. Advance Directive Revocation Form

   The advance directive revocation form helps identify the specific forms you wish to revoke, or cancel, in the WV e-Directive Registry.  This form is only for the e-Directive Registry and will not be made available to treating health care providers.  It is important to notify your doctor of the forms you wish to revoke as well.  You must retrieve and destroy, verbally revoke, or provide a written notice to revoke all copies of your advance directives.

   Download the Advance Directive Revocation Form for the WV e-Directive Registry