Improving Care

The following states where medical aid in dying is authorized also have significant populations of residents who identify as Asian American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Compassion & Choices provides resources in various languages to AANHPI populations in these states and elsewhere.
california

California

California has the largest AANHPI population in America with a total of over 6.3 million, or 16% of the state’s total population according to the 2019 census. Through our robust campaign, the California End of Life Option Act was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown on October 5, 2015 and took effect June 9, 2016. 

Since then, Compassion & Choices has been on the ground working to implement the law by ensuring access for terminally ill residents, and working to educate healthcare providers about the end-of-life option — all while fighting legal challenges to the law. For more information about our continuous efforts, check out the California page.

washington

Washington

In 2019, there were more than 735,000 residents who identify as AANHPI, which makes up close to 10% of the state’s population, larger than any other minority group. 

jersey

New Jersey

In 2019, more than 10% of New Jersey’s population was made up of AANHPI residents. Since legislation to authorize medical aid in dying was first introduced in the New Jersey Legislature in 2012, Compassion & Choices worked tirelessly to ensure that this compassionate end-of-life option was available to the terminally ill residents of the Garden State through grassroots organizing and digital media. Due to our efforts, New Jersey’s Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act was signed in April 2019 and took effect on August 1, 2019. 

Since passage, Compassion & Choices has been educating the public, supporting health care providers, protecting the law against legal challenges, and continuing to work to ensure equitable access to medical aid in dying for all. 

Map of Washington

Hawai‘i

According to the 2019 Hawai’i Census, 57.3% of the population identified as Asian and 27% identified as Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. 

Compassion & Choices’ Political Advocacy team successfully led the efforts to pass medical aid in dying in Hawai‘i. Hawai‘i became the seventh state and eighth jurisdiction to authorize medical aid in dying when the Our Care, Our Choice Act was signed by Governor Ige on April 5, 2018 and went into effect on January 1, 2019. 

Compassion & Choices
8156 S Wadsworth Blvd #E-162
Littleton, CO 80128

Mail contributions directly to:
Compassion & Choices Gift Processing Center
PO Box 485
Etna, NH 03750

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