Mr. Wolff will discuss the Elizabeth Whitefield End-of-Life Options Act that went into effect on June 18, 2021 to authorize the practice of medical aid in dying. New Mexico became the 11th jurisdiction in the US to allow terminally ill, competent adults with six months or less to live and the ability to self-administer to request life-ending medications from a willing clinician to hasten their death.. if, when and where they choose.
This session will briefly review where medical aid in dying fits in with advance care planning and other end of life options. Mr. Wolff will provide an overview of the nation's newest and most progressive medical aid in dying law, an update on how the law is being implemented so far and the services of a new nonprofit End of Life Options, New Mexico. (https://endoflifeoptionsnm.org).There will be handouts and time for questions, comments and discussion about these important end-of- life issues
Barak is a mostly retired, long-time public health leader in New Mexico working in rural Primary Care, EMS and Trauma Systems and as the Director of Public Health Division in the NM Department of Health. Barak has served as an analyst for the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee for the last seventeen years when they are in session. For the last nine years, Barak has been deeply involved with end-of-life issues and is on the founding Board of Directors for the newly created non profit End of Life Options, New Mexico. He is grateful for this opportunity to help improve our care systems and support New Mexicans in their end-of-life decisions, now including medical aid in dying.
Chief Justice Bacon was appointed to the New Mexico Supreme Court on January 25, 2019 after being recommended by a nonpartisan Judicial Nominating Commission. She took the oath of office on February 4, 2019. Prior to her appointment, Justice Bacon served as a district court judge on the Second Judicial District Court and as thePresiding Civil Judge. While serving on the district court Justice Bacon presided over thousands of cases spanning complex civil litigation, class actions, adult guardianship and conservatorship cases, real estate and contract disputes, election issues, domestic and children's court cases and appeals. Justice Bacon was also the Bernalillo County Water and Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District Judge.
Judge Bacon currently serves on the New Mexico Supreme Court's Equity and Justice Commission, the New Mexico Access to Justice Commission, the New Mexico Working Interdisciplinary Networks of Guardianship Stakeholders, and the National Judicial College Dividing the Waters. Prior to joining the Supreme Court, Justice Bacon served on numerous commissions and committees. She served on the New Mexico Supreme Court Adult Guardianship and Conservatorship Steering Committee (Chair) and Rules Committee, the Access to Justice Commission, the Bernalillo County Pro Bono Committee (Co-chair), the Supreme Court Personnel Rules Committee (Chair), the Supreme Court Rules of Evidence Committee (Chair), and the District and Metropolitan Judges Association (President). Justice Bacon has also served on non-profit boards that address the needs of youth experiencing homelessness for more than a decade.
More info TBA
santafe.epc@gmail.comwww.sfestateplanning.com
P.O. Box 1992, Santa Fe, NM 87504
