R 185

2018 -- S 2815 Enacted 04/12/2018

S E N A T 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: Senators McCaffrey, Lombardi, Crowley, Metts, and P Fogarty

Date Introduced: April 12, 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 Senate 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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LC005411

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