National Latinx Task Force Passes Resolution to Inform, Empower, and Take Action on End-of-Life Care
Apr 16, 2024 community engagement latino
(Washington, D.C. - April 16, 2024), Compassion & Choices praised the National Latinx Task Force for passing a resolution to inform, empower, and advocate for comprehensive end-of-life care planning for the Latino/Hispanic community. The resolution was passed in November 2023.
This historic resolution represents a new and exciting moment in the Task Force’s history, and in its growing relationship with end-of-life care and planning advocacy. The resolution states that, “The National Latinx Task Force must be proactive in informing, empowering and advocating for our community at the end of life…”
The Latinx Task Force was founded in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team, which included organizations and national partners, focuses on addressing health disparities and gaps that were neglected in the initial COVID-19 response planning and now, four years later, into many health-related issues – including the end of life.
According to a recent study there are many barriers to achieving compassionate end-of-life care, including: limited knowledge about end-of-life care, language barriers, fear of deportation, economic restraints, and physician bias. That’s why “it is imperative to empower our community with information to better make informed decisions when choosing care.”
“We are thrilled to have Compassion & Choices as a key partner in our efforts” said Paulina Sosa President & CEO of Latinx Task Force, “Together with Compassion & Choices, we are dedicated to making a lasting impact on the lives of Latinx individuals and their families, ensuring that their end-of-life healthcare wishes are respected and honored.”
To help address these barriers, the Latinx Task Force working with Compassion & Choices, has launched a groundbreaking three-part educational series called LUCHAR (Leading and Uniting Comunidades through Health and Awareness Resources) aimed at identifying and highlighting crucial health priorities, challenges, and solutions within the Latinx community. The Latinx Task Force and Compassion & Choices are making strides in promoting comprehensive health awareness. By addressing critical health issues and advocating for necessary resources, LUCHAR is paving the way for a healthier and more informed future for the Latinx community.
The resolution concludes, “National Latinx Task Force encourages charting one’s end-of-life journey [that is] consistent with one’s own wishes and values and having those very important discussions with loved ones.”
María Otero, Director of Priority Populations at Compassion & Choices said, “ We chose this month, Minority Health Month and National Healthcare Decisions Day to elevate our partnership as an opportunity to also bring more awareness to the value of conversations and planning.s. We have to come together so we are better prepared to support and guide our Latino/Hispsnic families and communities. This resolution is about community advocacy and care.”
The Latinx Task Force is the sister organization to Latinx Voces, LLC and is a nonprofit focused on addressing health disparities and improving access to health information in the Latinx community through education, partnership, and community, with over 300 partners nationally. For more information, visit: latinxtaskforce.org
Compassion & Choices is the oldest, largest and most active nonprofit working to expand and improve healthcare options for the end of life in the United States, with 450,000 supporters nationwide. For more information, visit: CompassionAndChoices.org.
