End-of-Life Option Act (EOLA)
Our position on California’s End-of-Life Option Act
Respecting Choice, Preserving Compassion
Hospice of the North Coast supports patients in making informed, personal decisions about their care at every stage of life. As part of that commitment, we want to share our stance on the End-of-Life Option Act (EOLA), which became law in California on June 9, 2016.
This law allows terminally ill adults to request and receive medication for the purpose of ending their life peacefully and on their own terms, under specific conditions.
Our Commitment to Patients and Families
- We support every patient’s right to be fully informed and involved in decisions about their care, including end-of-life options.
- We believe in minimizing suffering and supporting a peaceful, dignified death — as defined by the patient.
- We do not abandon patients, regardless of their views or decisions about the End-of-Life Option Act.
- While we do not participate in the administration of aid-in-dying medication, we respect patient autonomy and will refer to Compassion & Choices when appropriate.
What This Means in Practice
- We provide education and compassionate conversation about all care options
- We support emotional, spiritual, and physical needs throughout the dying process
- We refer to external organizations (such as Compassion & Choices) when requested
- Our physicians, nurses, and social workers do not prescribe or administer aid-in-dying medications