About the Massachusetts Commission on End of Life Care

The Massachusetts Commission on End of Life Care was established in FY’01. Our mission is “To improve the quality of life at the end of life.” We are committed to promoting public, professional and institutional awareness around end of life issues and fostering professional and consumer education to improve end of life care.

Despite the inevitability of death, many Massachusetts residents are not aware of the health care and other options available to them as they approach the end of life. Critical conversations regarding home care, palliative care, hospice care, pain management and symptom control are often delayed until it is too late to address the needs and wishes of the dying patient.

To assist individuals and their loved ones better address these difficult subjects, the Commission has focused its efforts on collecting information about the end of life resources available in communities throughout Massachusetts and making that information available online and in print. The Commission has conducted a statewide survey about end of life attitudes, beliefs and needs that will help us to better understand Massachusetts-specific concerns and issues. Our online Resource Guide for End of Life Services in Massachusetts includes a searchable database of providers, organizations and agencies.

Over 4500 print copies of the first edition of the Massachusetts Resource Guide for End of Life Services were distributed statewide. We expect to distribute at least 6000 copies of this updated second edition. For information on obtaining a print copy of the Resource Guide, click here.

The Commission collaborates actively with organizations and programs to raise awareness and provide education around end-of-life issues as well as to develop public policy recommendations. Such collaborations allow all the key players to extend their reach and effectiveness.

The Commission is working on the following projects in collaboration with others:
	the Massachusetts Comprehensive Cancer Plan’s end of life planning and implementation activities, supported through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the MA Department of Public Health
	the Massachusetts Pain Initiative’s effort to promote improved pain policy
	the Massachusetts Compassionate Care Coalition’s effort to promote better care at the end of life through education and engagement of clergy through a Compassion Sabbath initiative
	the Veterans Administrations’ and the Hospice & Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts’ establishment of a MA Hospice-Veteran Partnership to improve end of life care for veterans
	the Massachusetts Hospital Association’s effort to educate health care professionals about end of life issues – the Commission has co-sponsored two programs, Essential Elements of Quality Palliative Care and Financial Implications of Promoting Excellence in End of Life Care and is working to plan a third program
	the MultiCultural Coalition on Aging’s effort to assure that a multicultural perspective is included in efforts to serve the elderly