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The Missouri Advance Directive is one’s personal health care instructions created ahead of time in order to avoid unwanted medical treatment in the event of future incapacitation. The instrument itself is comprised of two primary sections, a durable power of attorney and a living will. The first portion delegates decision-making rights to an individual of the executor’s choice whereas the other section allows them to record their own priorities as it relates to life-sustaining procedures. This form is effectuated by filling out each desired field with the corresponding information and endorsing it while receiving the acknowledgment of applicable parties (witnesses and notary public).

Those who wish to be eligible to give the gift of life through organ and tissue donation may do so by enrolling through the Donate Life Missouri Website.

This document contains the following sections:

Part I: Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
Part II: Health Care Directive (Living Will)
Part III: General Provisions

Laws

Statutes – Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Act (§ 404.800 – § 404.872); Declarations, Life Support (§ 459.010 – § 459.055)

Definition – “Advance health care directive”, a power of attorney for health care or a declaration signed or authorized by an adult, containing the person’s direction concerning a health care decision (§ 459.250(1)(2)).

Signing Requirements – If the document contains a declaration regarding the withholding or withdrawal of death-prolonging procedures, then the principal must receive the acknowledgment of two (2) witnesses at the time of signing (§ 459.015(1)(4)). Although there is no statute concerning the acknowledgment of the principal’s signature when executing a durable power of attorney for health care, most advance directives will insist that they sign in the presence of a notary public to truly validate the form.