A Message from Secretary Marshall

Thank you for your interest in studying what advance health care directives are available to you!

One of the most stressful times to make important life or death decisions, and decisions affecting mental health treatment or organ donation is during an actual medical emergency. The person having the emergency, his or her family and loved ones, and the health care providers are all under very critical, time-sensitive pressures during an emergency.

One of the best times to make some of these same decisions is when a person is not in a medical emergency and can take the time to reflect and study on what directions he or she wants family and medical providers to know in a crisis situation, before it ever happens.

This is why so many people today do make the effort to put on record one or more of the advance health care directives available.

The North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State is proud to offer this voluntary registry program to people who want to plan ahead and to make sure that they always have a voice in their health care issues.

Elaine F. Marshall, Secretary