End of Life Option Act

At Butte Home Health and Hospice, we envision a community where all members can live and die with dignity. We value quality of life and honor the choices of individuals and families at all stages of life. We acknowledge that there are hospice patients who may wish to avail themselves of their legal right under the End of Life Option Act by requesting a prescription from their physician that will end their life.

The law will give terminally ill adults in California the option to end their lives by swallowing lethal doses of physician-prescribed drugs. For a patient to receive the drug, two doctors must confirm the patient’s prognosis of six months or less to live and determine that the patient is mentally competent to make informed health care decisions. The patient must then make two oral requests 15 days apart, and one written request, to a physician for assisted death, with witnesses to all requests. The new legislation allows for organizations and physicians to ‘opt-out’ of dispensing end-of-life drugs.

Butte Home Health has “opted-out” of the provisions of California’s new end-of-life law and will not participate in the aid in dying practice on our premises, as allowed by the legislation. We believe physicians have an obligation to openly discuss patient’s concerns, unmet needs, feelings and desires about the dying process. It’s important to learn the meaning behind the patient’s question and attempting to respond to a patient’s concern can be a potent, therapeutic intervention.

We are committed to educating and supporting any patient who inquires about and/or chooses this option. Our teams are knowledgeable about the End of Life Option Act process and can guide you along the way. When you inquire about this option, you will be met with care and kindness, not judgement. We will ensure you have the information you need to fully consider this option.