It takes more than a law to change how we die

In August 2026, New York’s medical aid-in-dying law is set to take effect, followed closely by Illinois in September. Delaware’s new law went into effect in January of this year. 

But as we’ve seen in other states that have passed medical aid-in-dying legislation, laws alone don’t guarantee access for the people who need them. At Compassion & Choices, our work extends far beyond authorizing aid-in-dying laws to transforming the entire landscape of patient-directed care. 

What does this look like? It means building awareness and confidence among clinicians and patients. It requires resources, education, services, and tools. And it takes addressing institutional barriers, changing the culture of healthcare systems, and ensuring patients, families, and caregivers have meaningful access to the information and care they need to make end-of-life decisions consistent with their values. 

In newly authorized states like New York and Delaware, we are actively laying the foundation for a future that looks like this. 

Turning new laws into real options for patients

Compassion & Choices’ Patient Choice at the End of Life Grant Program is designed to help states with new medical aid-in-dying laws put them into practice by offering technical assistance and funding to organizations as they build programs, develop policies, and educate healthcare professionals and patients.

This summer, we’ve already awarded grants to two organizations helping terminally ill patients coordinate their care and navigate the complexities of end-of-life healthcare options. 

Quiĕtus was founded by two experienced hospice clinicians to provide knowledgeable and compassionate care navigation services to terminally ill New Yorkers. With a network of physicians, nurses, social workers, and psychologists, Quiĕtus supports patients with a combination of in-home and telehealth services, providing guidance, symptom management, and medical aid-in-dying services to qualifying patients who want it. 

With this grant from Compassion & Choices, Quiĕtus will create resources that speak directly to patients — clear articles and videos that answer the questions people facing a terminal illness actually have — and finalize a working process to document how patients will access medical aid in dying under New York law.

In Delaware, a collective of end-of-life doulas in Sussex County will use the grant for doula training and education for patients and healthcare professionals. Liminal Shores offers support for end-of-life care planning, grief therapy, private caregivers, and a compassionate and empathetic approach to end-of-life care. 

Collectives like Liminal Shores allow doulas to dramatically expand both their own professional development and the resources and educational events they provide the communities they serve.  

Why this work can’t wait

Passing a law is a milestone. But making it work for patients is our mission — and there’s lots more to be done on this front. 

It’s doulas in Delaware and care navigators in New York helping patients understand and access their options. It’s long-term, systemic, from-the-ground-up kind of work. And it’s only possible because of supporters like you, who understand that passing a law is the start of the story, not the end of it. 

Learn more about our work improving end-of-life care nationwide.