Alexandria, Va, Aug. 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), and its advocacy affiliate, the Hospice Action Network (HAN), are pleased to announce the launch of the My Hospice Ambassadors Program. My Hospice Ambassadors are advocates selected by NHPCO to engage with federal lawmakers and enhance awareness of hospice and palliative care public policy issues.
My Hospice Ambassadors will establish and maintain significant and continuous relationships with Members of Congress, host roundtable events with federal lawmakers to advance hospice and palliative care legislation and develop a network of hospice and palliative care advocates.
“My Hospice Ambassadors are proven operators in the field and staunch hospice and palliative care supporters who have been chosen because of their ability to eloquently articulate the value of hospice and palliative care and their enthusiasm and commitment to providing quality care for patients and families at the end of life. NHPCO and HAN are honored to work with different interdisciplinary professionals, leaders, and supporters as they take on this new responsibility,” said NHPCO CEO and President Edo Banach.
Special thanks to Paul Ledford (Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association), Elleah Tooker (Center for Hospice Care in Indiana), Sandy Kuhlman (Hospice Services, Inc. and Palliative Care of Northwest Kansas), Honey Goodman and Kim Ouwehand (Treasure Valley Hospice in Idaho), and Carla Braveman (Hospice and Palliative Care Association of New York State) for their leadership and collaboration during the program’s developmental process.
NHPCO also congratulates new Ambassadors who span the Interdisciplinary Team as hospice volunteers, nurses, and social workers and others who are leaders and professionals in the hospice and palliative care community. The following new My Hospice Ambassadors have joined efforts to help reinforce the value of the Medicare hospice benefit among policy and healthcare decision makers and improve access to high quality, comprehensive and person-centered care:
- Emily Baehr, St. Barnabas Hospice in Pennsylvania;
- Kelly Coons, AseraCare Hospice in Pennsylvania;
- Teddi Anderson Curry, Sutter VNA in California;
- Natalie McNeal, Wellstar Community Hospice in Georgia;
- Lisa Perry, Bluegrass Care Navigators in Kentucky;
- Patricia Ramsden, Care Dimensions in Massachusetts;
- Bri Santarsieri, Infinity Hospice in Nevada;
- Courtland Young, Central Coast VNA in California.
My Hospice Ambassadors will undergo extensive advocacy training and education and will participate in a Fall Fly-In this September, where they will take to Capitol Hill to advocate for individuals and families experiencing the end of life. NHPCO and HAN look forward to working with these Ambassadors and will continue to expand the program in the coming months.
To learn more about the My Hospice campaign, please visit the Hospice Action Network website.