The Respecting Choices “Organization and Community Advance Care Planning Course" is a comprehensive curriculum designed to meet the needs of diverse members of an Advance Care Planning team within an organization or community.

This 3-day course is focused on the following:

1. Advance Care Planning Facilitator Certification (Day 1).

Prerequisite: Certificate of completion of on-line Respecting Choices“ Facilitator course, a series of 6 educational modules designed to prepare the participant for classroom certification.

This one-day program is the final step in achieving certification as a Respecting Choices“ ACP facilitator.

The target audience for this certification includes health care professionals (nurses, social workers, clergy) who need to facilitate ACP discussions as a component of professional practice as well as non-health care participants who are interested in assisting with community ACP engagement activities (i.e, volunteers, retired health care professionals, clergy). You can accomplish several objectives by inviting individuals to participate in this program: 1) representatives from multiple organizations, e.g., hospitals, nursing homes, hospice, palliative care teams, community groups; 2) Multiple professionals, e.g., nurses, social worker, clergy, attorneys, parish nurses, and palliative care physicians; 3) those who desire to work as a community to design effective practices, consumer education, partnerships, etc.

             *Maximum participation: 30-35 (with one Respecting Choices“ Faculty)

2. Advance Care Planning Leadership (Day 2).

Prerequisite: Day 1 and/or Certificate of completion of the on-line Respecting Choices Facilitator Course.

This additional one-day program is intended for a subgroup of individuals who have also attended Day 1 or those leaders who have interest assisting with implementation of an ACP program. The content of this program focuses on the multiple challenges in designing an effective system of practices that will enhance ACP efforts and insure that plans will be honored. These types of challenges require committed leaders who understand the Respecting Choices“ model of advance care planning facilitation, and have interest in designing and leading systematic change within an organization or community.

The target audiences for this program are those who have attended Day 1 and/or those who will be key individuals within the organization and/or community to support systematic change, e.g. members of end-of-life coalition/committee; palliative care and hospice; mid-level managers of various departments; community partners (religious leaders, attorneys) etc.

*Maximum participation: 15-20 (with one Respecting Choices“ Faculty)

3. Respecting Choices“ Instructor Certification (Day 3).

Prerequisite: On-line course, Days 1 & 2.

This one-day program is intended for those individuals who desire to become certified Respecting Choices“ Instructors. It is the intent of this certification that participants will sustain the educational momentum by continuing to offer the Respecting Choices® Advance Care Planning Course for Facilitators within his/her organization or community. Those who become certified instructors will be allowed to use the Respecting Choices® name and image, and will be provided copies of the slides and related curriculum materials for use in their Advance Care Planning Course for Facilitators.

These Instructor candidates must agree to offer the Facilitator Course twice/year (preferably as a team), use the most current Respecting Choices materials (on-line modules; Facilitator Manual), and keep records of his/her activities for Respecting Choices“.

The target audiences for this Instructor certification include professionals who have teaching experience, have interest in promoting the Respecting Choices“ model of ACP facilitation, and have administrative support to integrate this responsibility into their professional role.

*Maximum participation: 8 (with one Respecting Choices“ Faculty)