| R 169 |
| 2018 -- H 8064 Enacted 04/05/2018 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| RECOGNIZING APRIL 16, 2018, AS "NATIONAL HEALTHCARE DECISIONS DAY" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
| Introduced By: Representatives Bennett, McNamara, Hull, Shanley, and Newberry |
| Date Introduced: April 05, 2018 |
| WHEREAS, National Healthcare Decisions Day, celebrated on April 16, is a national |
| initiative to inspire, educate and empower the public about the importance of advance care |
| planning. It is a collaborative effort of national, state and community organizations to encourage |
| adults of all ages to plan ahead of a health crisis; and |
| WHEREAS, The Improving Care Coalition, a project of the Rhode Island State Nurses |
| Association is the state liaison for National Healthcare Decisions Day; and |
| WHEREAS, National Healthcare Decisions Day will help Rhode Islanders understand |
| that making future healthcare decisions includes much more than deciding what care they would |
| or would not want; it starts with expressing preferences, clarifying values, identifying care |
| preferences and selecting an agent to express healthcare decisions if patients are unable to speak |
| for themselves; and |
| WHEREAS, Making healthcare decisions ahead of time and putting your wishes in |
| writing brings peace of mind to families. It helps to avoid the difficult situations that are so |
| common when a person becomes seriously ill and the family is left to guess what their loved one |
| would have wanted; and |
| WHEREAS, An advance directives document speaks for your healthcare decisions if you |
| can't speak for yourself. Everyone needs an advocate; and |
| WHEREAS, National Healthcare Decisions Day may encourage Rhode Islanders to start |
| the conversation about advance directives with their families rather than delaying that discussion; |
| and |
| WHEREAS, National Healthcare Decisions Day educates and empowers the public and |
| healthcare providers to take part in important advance care planning and encourages patients to |
| discuss the topic with their healthcare providers to; and |
| WHEREAS, National Healthcare Decisions Day is an event that provides the opportunity |
| to advocate for a good life that honors a person's healthcare wishes; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and |
| Providence Plantations hereby recognizes April 16, 2018, as "National Health Care Decision |
| Day" in the State of Rhode Island. We urge and encourage all the citizens of the state to learn |
| about advance care planning for themselves and their loved ones; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Director Nicole Alexander-Scott, Rhode Island |
| Department of Health, and The Improving Care Coalition, a project of the Rhode Island State |
| Nurses Association. |
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| LC005384 |
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