November 10, 2004

Dear Friends,

I want to take this opportunity to share with you information about the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s new consumer outreach initiative and the programs funded under our new Robert Wood Johnson grant.  We are excited to have this opportunity to work with consumers, coalitions and communities and to continue the phenomenal work that coalitions and communities have done to improve care near the end of life.

As leaders of coalitions, your involvement and enthusiasm is critical to the work we will do together.  As a former RallyingPointsRegionalResourceCenterdirector for the Eastern Region, I am very familiar with the power of coalitions to create social change and the creative work you are doing.  

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization is working with partners at the national, state and local level to act as a catalyst and architect for social change to improve end-of-life care.  I am excited to share our plan and hear your feedback and ideas as we move ahead with this work.  The following are just a few of the projects we will be implementing in the next few months:

National Web site for consumers: This new site will offer a one-stop-shop for people looking for information and end-of-life resources.

Education, mentoring and resources for coalitions: We are identifying and developing materials and tools to facilitate and support your work.

One-day intensive training: We are developing an intensive training session for coalition members on April 20, 2005. This special session will be held in conjunction with NHPCO’s 6^th Clinical Team Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.  A limited number of travel stipends will be available for coalitions.  Invitations and additional information will be sent to each coalition soon.

NHPCO membership:  I’m pleased to announce that each coalition will receive complimentary Affiliate Membership in NHPCO through the end of 2005.  Benefits include: our monthly newsletter, NewsLine, access to member-only sections of the NHPCO Web site, access to our weekly NewsBriefs update for members, NHPCO conference registration discounts, reduced audio-conference registration rates, listing in the NHPCO Member Directory (which is going online in 2005!), Marketplace discounts, and more.  We are working on the process for automatically signing up each coalition and will send you notification and a membership number in the next few weeks.

We are in the process of establishing a special listserve for our coalition members.  Our hope is that this resource will facilitate your networking and communication with one another. 

We will be looking to tap into the expertise of accomplished professionals across the U.S.as we move forward.  We are extremely fortunate to be working with the Rallying Points Regional Resource Centers as they transition their amazing work with you to NHPCO.  For now, please continue to contact them as you have in the past for information, support or mentoring. 

In addition, Gwynn Sullivan, from North Carolina, will begin consulting with us December 1 assisting in the development of training and resources for coalitions. 

Some of our long-range goals include focus groups that will allow us to look at diverse populations and to better understand the range of needs important to specific populations.  NHPCO’s Office of Diversity is developing a tool kit that will be released later in 2005.  This is an example of a resource under development that will benefit all of us and the work that we are doing.

We will also be mailing you a copy of the 2004 National Hospice Month planning guide and companion CD.  This offers a range of suggestions for community involvement and outreach.  While this guide is designed around November’s National Hospice Month, the ideas and materials can be used throughout the year.  Keep your eyes open for this special mailing.

I realize you may have other questions, so please feel free to direct inquiries to our new email address, consumers@nhpco.org.  By using email, you will help us respond to your inquiries more quickly and efficiently. 

Again, I want to thank you for your support of NHPCO and your dedication to improving care near the end of life.

Sincerely,

Katherine Brandt, MS
Vice President, Professional Leadership and Consumer and Caregiver Services