2020 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 24 - Health and Safety
Article 7B - Mental Health Care Treatment Decisions
Section 24-7B-15 - Effect of the Mental Health Care Treatment Decisions Act.

A. The Mental Health Care Treatment Decisions Act does not create a presumption concerning the intention of an individual who has not made or who has revoked an advance directive for mental health treatment.

B. Death resulting from the withholding or withdrawal of health care in accordance with the Mental Health Care Treatment Decisions Act does not for any purpose:

(1) constitute a suicide, a homicide or other crime; or

(2) legally impair or invalidate a governing instrument, notwithstanding any term of the governing instrument to the contrary. "Governing instrument" means a deed, will, trust, insurance or annuity policy, account with POD (payment on death designation), security registered in beneficiary form (TOD), pension, profit-sharing, retirement, employment or similar benefit plan, instrument creating or exercising a power of appointment or a dispositive, appointive or nominative instrument of any similar type.

C. The Mental Health Care Treatment Decisions Act does not authorize mercy killing, assisted suicide, euthanasia or the provision, withholding or withdrawal of health care, to the extent prohibited by other statutes of this state.

D. The Mental Health Care Treatment Decisions Act does not authorize or require a health care provider or mental health treatment facility to provide health care contrary to generally accepted health care standards applicable to the health care provider or mental health treatment facility.

E. The Mental Health Care Treatment Decisions Act does not authorize an agent to consent to the admission of an individual to a mental health treatment facility. If the individual's written advance directive for mental health treatment expressly permits treatment in a mental health treatment facility, the agent may present the individual to a facility for evaluation for admission.

F. The Mental Health Care Treatment Decisions Act does not affect other statutes of this state governing treatment for mental illness of an individual admitted to a mental health treatment facility, including involuntary commitment to a mental health treatment facility for mental illness.

History: Laws 2006, ch. 7, § 15.

Effective dates. — Laws 2006, ch. 7 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective May 17, 2006, 90 days after adjournment of the legislature.