WHEREAS, Palliative care means patient- and family-centered medical care that optimizes quality of life by anticipating, preventing, and treating suffering caused by serious illness; and

WHEREAS, Palliative care administered throughout the continuum of illness involves addressing physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs that facilitate patient autonomy, access to information, and choice; and

WHEREAS, Palliative care includes, but is not limited to, discussions of the patient’s goals for treatment, treatment options appropriate to the patient, including hospice care, and comprehensive pain and symptom management; and

WHEREAS, All patients who are experiencing complex, chronic health issues that affect their quality of life should be offered palliative care as an option, as it is appropriate at any age and at any stage, and can be provided along with curative treatment; and

WHEREAS, When palliative care programs are provided, a larger percentage of hospice patients are identified earlier in their eligibility window, which enables them to take advantage of these valuable services for a longer period of time; and

WHEREAS, The United States healthcare system faces an increased burden with spikes in the senior citizen population coupled with increases in persons with complex chronic conditions and more people gaining access to health care through insurance coverage for the first time; and

WHEREAS, Recent studies indicate that by closely matching treatment with a patient’s goals and improving his or her quality of life, palliative care can provide substantial cost reduction; and

WHEREAS, A population trained about the benefits of palliative care boosts our medical and social care workforce; and

WHEREAS, The California Health and Human Services Agency’s Let’s Get Healthy California Task Force identified palliative care as one of its top priorities and indicators for all Californians to enjoy optimal health in its 2012 report; and

WHEREAS, The formation of a state palliative care and quality of life interdisciplinary advisory council and a palliative care information and education program within the Department of Public Health would maximize the effectiveness of palliative care initiatives in the state by ensuring that comprehensive and accurate information and education about palliative care is available to the public, health care providers, and health care facilities; now, therefore, be it