Palliative and Hospice Care Committee 

Current Activities

Connecticut Council for Hospice 
and Palliative Care

Connecticut Prison Hospice Initiative

The Connecticut Prison Hospice Initiative is a task force of the Connecticut Council for Hospice and Palliative Care (CCHPC), the purpose of which is to design, support, and have oversight of hospice and palliative care programs for prison inmates in the state of Connecticut.

In 1997 and 1998, a feasibility study of the needs and resources for hospice care in the Connecticut prison system was conducted by Florence Wald, Nealy Zimmermann, and A. Siobhan Thompson. Findings concluded both a need for and an interest in developing hospice programs in Connecticut state correctional facilities.

Patricia Ottolini, Director of Health and Addiction Services for the Connecticut Department of Correction, was the key liaison for developing inmate-based hospice and palliative care programs in Connecticut.

To date, 132 inmates have been trained to be hospice volunteers at MacDougall/Walker Correctional Institution (CI), York CI (the only female correctional facility in CT) and Osborn CI since the first group of 18 men graduated in February 2001. Training has been a team effort by several hospice and community professionals from various agencies around the state and is consistent with outside hospice standards but adapted to the correctional environment. Interdisciplinary teams meet regularly at their respective facilities to assess the current patients and program logistics. A 24-hour vigil is held for the patient at the end of his or her life.

Another aspect of the hospice program is the “grief guide” program, where inmates are trained to engage in conversation with fellow inmates regarding any past or present grief issues they may be experiencing. Thus far, 44 female and male inmates have been trained for this program.

Prepared by Nealy Zimmermann, MA
Chair, Connecticut Chapter 
National Prison Hospice Association
Chair, Prison Hospice Initiative of CCHPC

For more information, go to the the Connecticut Prison Hospice Initiative's Web site, or send an e-mail to 
Nealy Zimmerman: Nealyzi@comcast.net

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