This article reviews legal and ethical considerations that mental health professionals will want to consider when being involved with people who are considering end-of-life care options and making end-of-life decisions. The author discusses legal issues (case law and state statutes), ethical issues (professional codes of ethics, ethical metaprinciples, cultural considerations, and ethical decision-making models), and standards of care (attitudes of mental health professionals, positions of large national mental health professional associations, and acceptable actions in end-of-life situations) related to end-of-life care and decision making.
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