Quickly create your Connecticut health care directive

You can complete FindLaw’s attorney-created health care directive forms in less than an hour at home. Our guided process takes you through a few easy steps and includes a free HIPAA release form. You’ll be able to download, print and sign your documents in no time.

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If you are ever medically incapacitated and unable to communicate, your loved ones might not know which medical treatment choices to make on your behalf. By leaving a health care directive, you can provide clear instructions about your treatment choices and decisions on end-of-life issues. This can potentially protect your family members from the difficulty of having to make these decisions for you.

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Last updated: January 24, 2022

Written by:

Kimberly Lekman, Esq.

Contributing Author

Reviewed by:

John Devendorf, Esq.

Contributing Author

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Health Care Directive
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All the forms you need to create a personal estate plan

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Last will and testament

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How it works

Create your health care directive in under an hour

Create an account

Create a secure account which is accessible through an easy dashboard you can access any time

Gather information

Decide who will be your health care agent/proxy, which treatments you would request or refuse and release your records

Complete your document

Answer all questions, then we’ll generate your digital documents for downloading, printing, and signing

Make it legal

Print and sign your document according to instructions. Give copies to your doctors and agent/proxy

What’s next to make my Connecticut health care directive valid?

If you want a health care directive, you can hire a lawyer or use a health care directive form from a reliable source. If you use a form, follow these steps:

Decide on your medical treatment preferences

Your health care directive is a type of advance health care directive. It is a legal document that allows you to specify your medical decisions in case you become unable to make these choices on your own. You will need to decide whether you would want to remain on life support systems if you have a terminal condition and whether you would want cardiopulmonary resuscitation (“CPR”). If you are unsure about these choices, you should talk to your doctor and loved ones before committing to them.

Choose your health care representative

Under Connecticut law, you have the option to choose a health care representative as part of your health care directive. Your health care representative should be a trusted person who you designate to make medical treatment decisions on your behalf. You should also designate an alternate health care representative in case your first choice cannot perform the task. Other terms for a representative may include a durable power of attorney, health care agent, or health care proxy.

Sign your health care directive

You should sign your health care directive and appointment of a health care representative (your “advance directives”) in the presence of two witnesses. The witnesses should then also sign your advance directives. The person you are choosing as your health care representative should not act as one of your witnesses. If you have named a conservator, this person cannot be one of your witnesses either. You can find more information about your witness choices in our FAQs.

Distribute and store your health care directive

After signing your health care directive, you need to make sure that the right people have a copy of it. Make sure that your health care representative has a copy. Close family members and health care providers should have a copy. You may also consider depositing your health care directive with an online living will registry. These services allow medical providers to access your health care directive online in the case of an emergency.

Update your health care directive

As a general rule, it’s a good practice to review your advanced directives. You should also review them if you get a new diagnosis, have gone through a divorce, or have changed your mind about your preferences. After updating your advance directives, make sure that your loved ones, doctors, and health care representative all have a copy.

You may want to speak with a lawyer if:

Your family disagrees with your medical choices
You don’t know who to appoint as your agent
You have questions about life prolonging measures
You want legal review of your completed document

Find a local estate planning lawyer

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Common questions about Connecticut health care directives

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What are the legal requirements for a Connecticut health care directive?

To create a valid health care directive in Connecticut, you need to fulfill certain requirements:

You must be at least 18 years old
You need to sign your health care directive
You should be of sound mind. This means that you are able to understand the consequences of health care decisions and of the legal documents you are signing
There must be two witnesses present when you sign your health care directive. They should also sign. Neither of your witnesses should be your conservator or health care representative.

Your Connecticut health care directive does not need to be notarized to be legally valid. To make your health care directive self-proving in Connecticut, you and your witnesses need to swear to an affidavit in front of a notary public.

Are there any restrictions on who can be a witness or a health care representative?

Yes, under Connecticut law, there are certain people who you cannot name as your health care representative:

Your attending physician or advanced practice nurse
An employee of a government agency that is financially responsible for your medical treatment
Anyone who works in a nursing home, hospital, or residential care facility where you are a patient, with exceptions for blood relatives.

Your health care representative cannot act as a witness to your advance directives. If you reside in a state-run health facility, you may need to ask friends or family members outside of the facility to witness your health care directive and your health care representative designation.

Will I still get pain medication if I have a health care directive?

Yes, your doctors are required to provide you with comfort care and pain medication to keep you physically comfortable. Your health care providers will provide you with pain alleviation treatment as appropriate. They will do so regardless of whether you have a health care directive.

Is a health care directive from another state valid in Connecticut?

Yes, in Connecticut, an out-of-state or foreign health care directive is valid. But you must have created it according to the laws of that state or country, or in accordance with Connecticut laws. The provisions in the health care directive must also not be against Connecticut public policy.

If you have moved from another state, it’s a good opportunity to revise your estate planning documents. That way, you can make sure that they are valid under Connecticut law and reflect your current preferences.

When does my health care directive become effective?

Under Connecticut law, your health care directives only become effective if your situation meets both of the following criteria:

Your attending physician or advanced practice registered nurse received the advance health directive documents.
The nurse or physician determines, in their professional medical judgment, that you are incapacitated. Note that “incapacitated” refers to a patient who can’t make an informed decision about their health care choices. Further, they do not appreciate the benefits or risks of their treatment options.

So, these criteria establish that your health care directive does not become effective while you can still understand and communicate your health care choices. It only becomes operative in more serious medical situations or where you are unable to communicate.

Can I leave an anatomical gift?

Yes, you can leave an anatomical gift of your body or part that takes effect after your death. You can leave the anatomical gift for research, transplantation, therapy, or education. If you leave an anatomical gift, this will go into effect upon your death.

How can I revoke my health care directive?

You can revoke your health care directive at any time. When you revoke your health care directive, you should inform your health care representative and any medical care providers who have a copy of it.

To revoke your health care representative designation, you must make a written revocation. You then need to sign the revocation in front of two witnesses. The witnesses must also sign the revocation. A divorce or legal separation will void any designation of your former spouse as your health care representative.

An effective way of revoking your health care directive is to create a new one that revokes anything prior.

Complex family situation? Need additional guidance?

Contact a local estate planning attorney.