Proposal calling for annual report on prison hospice, palliative care awaits Pritzker's signature

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Illinois could soon require the Department of Corrections to report data on hospice care available for prisoners.

Over 1,000 Illinois prisoners are 65 or older and a growing number of those people are in need of end-of-life care and support services. The Illinois Department of Corrections does not have a formal hospice program, as end-of-life care is provided on a prison by prison basis.

Sponsors and advocates said this has led to inconsistent care for prisoners diagnosed with terminal illnesses or who are expected to reach the end of their life.

"What is provided in various facilities is not consistently provided among all of the facilities," said Rep. Nicole Grasse (D-Arlington Heights). "Some provide more end-of-life care and some don't, and it's very different. So, the reason for this data collection is really to have an understanding of what is provided and who does it, how we do it, and how we can help with that."

This legislation calls on the Department of Corrections to provide the report with demographic data of prisoners receiving hospice and palliative care by December 1 of each year.

House Bill 2397 passed out of the House and Senate on partisan votes. The measures arrived on Gov. JB Pritzker's desk last week.