Maine Hospice Council, 295 Water St, Gardiner, ME 04345, US

The Maine Hospice Council exists to ensure the continued development of Hospice and Palliative Care in Maine. The Council provides education and technical assistance regarding end-of-life care, as well as advocacy for terminally ill and bereaved persons regarding quality end-of-life issues throughout the state. From its beginning in 1984, the Maine Hospice Council has been the leading advocate, trainer, and educator for hospice care in Maine. The Maine Center for End of Life Care: The Maine Hospice Council has been designated the home of the Maine Center for End of Life Care by the Bureau of Health. The purpose of the center is to educate health care providers and the public regarding end of life care. The Council is very excited about this new opportunity. The Maine Pain Initiative: Previously The Maine Cancer Pain Initiative, a committee of the Council "Committed to making cancer pain relief a reality for all people in Maine." Since 1995, the MCPI has conducted an annual symposium to address pain and symptom management issues for health care professionals and consumers. Starting in 1999, the event has included a special evening for patients and families. Hospice and Corrections: The Maine Hospice Council has been working with the Department of Corrections and Maine State Prison System to address issues of end of life care. Community/State Partnership Initiative: In January 1999, the Maine Hospice Council, on behalf of the Maine Consortium for Palliative Care and Hospice, received a 3-year, $450, 000 Community/State Partnership grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation entitled Care at the End-of-Life: A Public-Private Partnership. This collaborative project included 14 partners and seven distinct projects ranging from developing baseline data to educating medical students. Zero Acceptance of Pain ( ZAP ): The Council helped coordinate this initiative whose goals were to establish and implement standardized assessment tools, increase awareness of pain symtomatology, improve the infrastructure for end of life care in Maine, improve documentation, assess staff knowledge of pain management and attitudes toward pain, and assess quality of life and satisfaction of staff. Maine Comprehensive Cancer Control Consortium: The Maine Hospice Council in collaboration with other organizations, participated in the development of the Palliative Care Section of Maine's Comprehensive Cancer Plan. Joe Mayo Award: Created in 2001 to recognize the untiring efforts of the Honorable Joseph Mayo, Clerk Emeritus of the Maine House of Representatives to improve end of life care for all Maine citizens. Annual Reports to the Legislature: The Council submits an Annual Report to the legislature on Access to End of Life Care in Maine. This comprehensive report details to the legislature the current status of end of life care, identifies priorities, and makes policy recommendations. Acrobat Reader is necessary to access some information on this site. Download Acrobat Reader.

Jeff Bickford

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