Purpose
Support Medical Aid in Dying
The lead volunteer organizer of this working group is Molly Walsh, UU Society of Wellesley Hills.
If you are able to get involved please contact her at mmdwalsh@aol.com
We are allied with Compassion & Choices
current projects
S.1384/H.2381 Medical Aid in Dying (Medical Aid in Dying) (Comerford/ Rep. O’Day) Fact Sheet Status: Joint Committee on Public Health
Legislation to authorize medical aid in dying had been introduced 9 times since 1995 and has never advanced out of the Committee on Public Health. This year the committee has new leadership and a majority of the committee members are co-sponsors of the bill however support from the leadership of the house and senate is still necessary for the bill to move forward to the floor of the legislature. This legislation requires that a person requesting medical aid in dying have two physicians in agreement that the person has a terminal illness and a prognosis of less than six months. A mental health professional has to agree that person has the mental health capacity to make this decision and the person has to be able to take the medications independently. There is an opt out provision so no doctor or pharmacist is required to participate.
A more detailed description of the legislation can be found here
working group
Our current group consists of representatives from the UU Fellowship of Falmouth headed by Cathy Kligler, the UU Society of Rockport headed by Chuck Francis and the UU Society of Wellesley Hills headed by Molly Walsh.
We are recently formed and welcome new participants.
take action
We have had community and congregational meetings to educate others about this issue. We have planned meetings at UU Churches in Needham and Rockport. We are eager to have other meetings and are happy to provide support with speakers, materials and publicity. We are planning to visit the State House to provide information to legislators in hopes of increasing support for this legislation. We are publicizing the current legislation and its importance in hopes of encouraging people to contact their representatives and urge them to vote yes on the legislation