Washington Revised Code Title 71. Behavioral Health § 71.32.010. Legislative declaration--Findings

(a) Some behavioral health disorders cause individuals to fluctuate between capacity and incapacity;

(b) During periods when an individual's capacity is unclear, the individual may be unable to access needed treatment because the individual may be unable to give informed consent;

(c) Early treatment may prevent an individual from becoming so ill that involuntary treatment is necessary; and

(d) Individuals with behavioral health disorders need some method of expressing their instructions and preferences for treatment and providing advance consent to or refusal of treatment.

(a) A mental health advance directive must provide the individual with a full range of choices;

(b) Individuals with behavioral health disorders have varying perspectives on whether they want to be able to revoke a directive during periods of incapacity;

(c) For a mental health advance directive to be an effective tool, individuals must be able to choose how they want their directives treated during periods of incapacity; and

(d) There must be clear standards so that treatment providers can readily discern an individual's treatment choices.

Consequently, the legislature affirms that, pursuant to other provisions of law, a validly executed mental health advance directive is to be respected by agents, guardians, and other surrogate decision makers, health care providers, professional persons, and health care facilities.