Compassion & Choices improves care, expands options and empowers everyone to chart their end-of-life journey. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We have 450,000 supporters and are active in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Guam, American Samoa and Puerto Rico.
We work across the nation in communities, state legislatures, Congress, courts and medical settings to:
- Educate the public about the importance of documenting end-of-life values and priorities and about the full range of available options.
- Empower every individual with achievable options, authoritative information and constructive advice for guiding their care and engaging with their providers.
- Advocate for expanded choices, secure and ready access to them and improved medical practice that puts patients first and values quality of life in treatment plans for terminal illness.
- Defend existing end-of-life options from efforts to restrict access.
Download our factsheet: Our Mission, Our Work.
Our Strategic Plan
Our roadmap to success centers on three long-term objectives within our Strategic Plan to achieve our mission to advance end-of-life choice and care:
We have set the bold intention that by 2028, half the U.S. population will live in a location where medical aid in dying is an open and accessible medical practice.
We seek to ensure that more patients can access the care they want — nothing more and nothing less. Our programming includes two key focus areas: 1) closing the disparities in end-of-life care and planning for communities of color and authorizing legislation to advance equity in end-of-life care; and 2) transforming how people with dementia die.
We continue to grow a diverse, equitable and inclusive movement in the areas of race, religion, party affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity and age, so that people of all demographic groups approach life’s end equipped with information and encouraged to claim their voice.
Our Philosophy
Everything we do at Compassion & Choices is about empowering patients to claim their voice and agency in end-of-life care. Our philosophy is grounded in two primary factors:
- Patient-Directed Care. We believe the path to change starts with the individual, which is why patient-directed care stands at the core of all we do.
- A Diverse, Equitable & Inclusive Movement. We believe all people should receive healthcare that is consistent with their values and priorities regardless of gender identity, age, sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, wealth, marital status or disability. Read a message from C&C's President & CEO, Kim Callinan about our commitment and efforts to create a diverse, inclusive and equitable workforce and movement.
