Signature Required — Witnesses

1. Law
2. Tennessee Code
3. Mental Health and Substance Abuse and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
4. Mental Health Service
5. Declarations for Mental Health Treatment
6. Signature Required — Witnesses

1. A declaration is effective only if it is signed by the service recipient and two (2) competent adult witnesses and is not signed on the premises of a mental health service provider. The witnesses shall attest that the service recipient is personally known to them; signed the declaration in their presence; talked with the witnesses about the document, its contents, and the reasons for preparing and wanting the document to be effective; appears to be capable of making mental health treatment decisions; and is not under duress, fraud, or undue influence.
2. None of the following may be used as a witness:
   1. The service recipient's mental health service provider;
   2. An employee of the service recipient's mental health service provider;
   3. The operator of a mental health facility; or
   4. An employee of a mental health facility.
3. At least one (1) of the persons who is a witness shall be a person who is neither:
   1. A relative of the service recipient by blood, marriage or adoption; nor
   2. A person who would be entitled to any portion of the estate of the service recipient upon the service recipient's death under any will or codicil of the service recipient that exists at the time of execution of the declaration for mental health treatment or by operation of law then existing.

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