Advance Directives
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This page provides downloadable forms and guidance for advance care planning in Illinois. It includes official documents like Living Will Declarations, Power of Attorney for Health Care and Property, and Mental Health Treatment forms in both English and Spanish. These forms help individuals express their healthcare preferences in case they become unable to speak for themselves.
The page also features POLST (Practitioner Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) and DNR (Do-Not-Resuscitate) forms, which allow people with serious health conditions to make decisions about life-sustaining treatments. Advance directives are legal documents that take effect only if you are unable to speak for yourself. Planning ahead helps your loved ones make decisions that reflect your wishes.
Downloadable forms to help you document your healthcare choices.
This form lets people say what mental health treatments they want or don’t want if they can’t make decisions for themselves. It helps doctors and hospitals follow their wishes during a mental health crisis.
This official form lets people with serious health conditions state that they do not want CPR or other life-saving treatments if their heart or breathing stops.
This form lets people with serious illnesses choose what life-saving treatments they want or don’t want. It is filled out with a doctor or nurse and helps make sure their wishes are followed in an emergency.
This form lets people say they do not want death-delaying medical treatment if they are very sick and cannot speak for themselves. It helps doctors and family know their wishes about end-of-life care.
This form lets people choose someone to make health care decisions for them if they can’t speak for themselves. It helps make sure their medical choices are followed when they are unable to decide.
This form lets people choose someone to manage their money, property, or other financial matters if they can’t do it themselves. It helps make sure their financial decisions are handled the way they want.
Guardianship
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Information and forms to help you plan for future healthcare decisions.
If you cannot make healthcare decisions and do not have an advance directive, Illinois law allows a surrogate to be appointed. Two doctors must certify that you are unable to make decisions. A surrogate may be a guardian, spouse, adult child, parent, sibling, grandchild, close friend, or guardian of the estate.
Forms and resources for assigning a guardian.
Allows a guardian to temporarily assign duties for up to 60 days in a 12-month period.
Lets a guardian name someone to take over if they can no longer serve.
Visit the IDPH Advance Directives site for additional details.
