California

Status of Medical Aid in Dying

The California End of Life Option Act went into effect on June 9, 2016. This compassionate option allows for an eligible terminally ill adult, with a prognosis of six months or less to live, to request and receive a prescription form their doctor that they can self-ingest to peacefully end their suffering.

An improvement bill, SB 380, took effect in 2022. The Department of Public Health’s annual data report showed there was a 47% increase in Californians who used the law in 2022, increasing access to the law exactly as intended.

We will continue to work on reauthorizing this law, removing the sunset provision, and reducing barriers to access while ensuring safeguards remain intact.

The CDSS issued a notice to adult and senior care facilities about the End of Life Option Act. Residents who qualify for medical aid in dying living in assisted facilities and other adult or senior care facilities are able to take their medication in their home and can’t be evicted for choosing this option.

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Access California's form at CaringInfo

Find free advance directives and instructions for each state that can be opened as a PDF (Portable Document Format) file
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Additional Information

Schedule a Presentation: We’ll explain the full range of end-of-life options and explain step-by-step how the law works – in English and in Spanish.

Find resources in Spanish

Visit our End-of-Life Resource Center

California Stories

Latest California News

Pacientes, Médicos de California Piden Intervenir en Demanda Federal para Defender Acceso a la Ayuda Médica para Morir
November 1, 2023

Tres pacientes con discapacidades de California y dos médicos de California presentaron el  jueves una moción solicitando intervenir en una demanda federal, alegando que el End of Life Option Act o la actualizada Ley de Opción para el Fin de Vida del estado, discrimina a las personas con discapacidades. También presentaron una moción para desestimar…

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California Patients, Doctors Request to Intervene in Federal Lawsuit to Defend Access to Medical Aid in Dying
September 22, 2023

Three California patients with disabilities and two California doctors filed a motion Thursday requesting to intervene in a federal lawsuit claiming the state’s revised End of Life Option Act discriminates against people with disabilities. They also filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. Their motions are posted at: bit.ly/CAFedDisabilityLawsuitOpposingMotions The state official defendants filed two separate motions in…

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