Literature Review

New Jersey's new Community-Based Palliative Care Medicaid (CBPC)  State of New Jersey - Department of Human Services - Division of Medical Assistance & Health Services; email and website notifications; 2/9/26 Community-Based Palliative Care is a benefit available to NJ Family Care members, starting April 1, 2026. The benefit was signed into the law by Governor Murphy on December 21, 2023, underscoring the state's commitment to supporting residents facing serious illness. Community-Based Palliative Care (CBPC) is designed to support people living with serious health conditions by helping manage symptoms, coordinating care, and making the healthcare system easier to navigate. You can receive CBPC while continuing your current treatments. CBPC is not hospice; a terminal diagnosis is not required. It is designed to give you extra support alongside the care you already receive.

Tell us more: Episode 3-Shirley Otis-GreenJournal of Palliative Medicine; by Shirley Otis-Green, MSW, MA, ACSW, LCSW, OSW-CE, FNAP, FAOSW, Yilong Peng, MD, William E. Rosa, PhD, MBE, APRN, and Richard E. Leiter, MD, MA; 2/9/26 The Journal of Palliative Medicine’s “Tell Us More: The Palliative Care Oral History Project,” seeks to tell the story of Hospice and Palliative Care through informal interviews with pivotal leaders in the field. In each episode, hosts Drs. Ricky Leiter and Billy Rosa, along with research assistant Dr. Yilong Peng, sit down with an HAPC luminary and do what our field does best—ask questions, listen, and reflect. In the third episode, Drs. Leiter and Rosa interviewed Ms. Shirley Otis-Green, founder of Collaborative Caring and a pioneer in palliative social work. What follows is a transcript of their conversation, edited lightly for clarity.

Can AI hear when patients are ready for palliative care? Researchers use AI to analyze patient phone calls for vocal cues predicting palliative care acceptance Penn LDI - Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics; by Hoag Levins; 2/24/26 A new study suggests artificial intelligence (AI) may help clinicians identify which seriously ill patients are ready for palliative care — by analyzing the energy, pitch, and other subtle vocal cues in recorded group phone conversations among patients, caregivers, and health care providers. The new work by a team led by LDI Senior Fellow and Penn Nursing School Assistant Professor Jiyoun Song, PhD, APRN, is the first to use speech processing to identify palliative care preferences during discussions and decision-making in managed long-term care (MLTC), a type of Medicaid-managed care for community-dwelling patients that need home and community-based services.

CAPC tools and events to help address disparities and improve outcomes Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC); email and webpage; 2/2/26 February 2026 marks 100 years of Black History Month. As we reflect on a century of honoring the history and contributions of Black Americans, CAPC’s Project Equity initiative focuses on turning that reflection into action by providing practical tools, innovative practices, and training to help palliative care teams effectively advance health equity for patients living with serious illness. 

Lower Cape Fear LifeCare launches palliative care clinic in Lumberton Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, Lumberton, NC; by Staff Report; 1/29/26 Beginning in early March, Lower Cape Fear LifeCare will launch a new palliative care clinic in partnership with UNC Health Southeastern. This first-of-its-kind clinic in Robeson County will initially operate one half-day per week, with plans to expand availability as patient demand grows. The program supports patients at any stage of serious illness, providing an extra layer of support alongside curative treatment. Services focus on relief from pain and symptoms, emotional and spiritual support, and guidance for patients and families navigating complex medical decisions.

Family Care Palliative & Hospice expands palliative care access for Maricopa County residents ABNewswire, Tempe, AZ; Press release by Family Care Palliative & Hospice; 1/26/25Family Care Palliative & Hospice has expanded its service offerings to meet better the growing demand for specialized end-of-life and serious illness care throughout Maricopa County and surrounding areas. ... The expansion comes at a time when demand for quality best hospice care continues to rise across Arizona. 

How does palliative care work under Rhode Island Workers’ Compensation Law? WorkersCompensation.com; 1/25/26 What does it take for an injured worker in Rhode Island to receive palliative care? State regulations spell out the steps ... "Palliative care" means the first 12 visits for medical services provided by a physician licensed by the State after maximum medical improvement has been attained. ... Additional palliative care beyond the 12 visits after the employee reaches maximum medical improvement, is conditioned on the authorization of the claim administrator (insurer, self-insured employer, third party administrator) upon the request of the employee’s treating physician (Medical Provider).

Nonprofit donates $100,000 to UVA Health to establish endowment for pediatric palliative care WVIR 29 News, Charlottesville, VA; by Kate Neuchterlein; 1/23/26 The University of Virginia’s Children’s Hospital has received a $100,000 donation from Olivia’s Light, a nonprofit that supports children living with rare diseases and their families. Co-founders Jenna and Ben King named the nonprofit after their daughter, Olivia, who was hospitalized at UVA soon after her birth and diagnosed with a rare and fatal neurodevelopmental disorder. Olivia was sent home at two-and-a-half months old, where she passed away just seven weeks later. 

Tuesday Health and Buckeye Health Plan partner to bring palliative care for Ohioans with serious  illness PR Newswire, Columbus, OH; by Tuesday Health; 1/20/26 Tuesday Health and Buckeye Health Plan, a company of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), today announced a new partnership to bring expanded palliative care to Ohioans living with serious illness. The program, launched on January 1, 2026, is designed to help members and their caregivers manage complex health needs, reduce avoidable hospital visits, and receive compassionate care in person and virtually. Through this collaboration, eligible Buckeye members will gain access to Tuesday Health's interdisciplinary care team, including nurses, social workers, nurse practitioners and physicians. 

The rise of at-home palliative care and what it says about healthcare FINE Magazine; by Angela Smith; 1/15/26 For decades, end-of-life care meant one thing. A hospital room. A facility bed. A rotation of staff. A fluorescent light that never quite turns off. Families told themselves this was the safest option because it looked official enough to feel trustworthy. Hospitals felt like the only acceptable place to be when things were difficult. It was more ritual than logic. ...

Solomon Center’s groundbreaking palliative care law and policy initiative drives nationwide reforms Yale Law School; Press Release; 1/15/26 The Solomon Center for Health Law and Policy at Yale Law School has established the country’s first comprehensive interdisciplinary initiative dedicated to palliative medical care, law, and policy — a pathbreaking effort that is already shaping reforms for patients of all ages. ... The work is supported by a first-of-its kind open-access research platform for palliative care policy across the states, developed by the Center, and in collaboration with partners at Yale School of Medicine, Yale School of Public Health, Yale School of Nursing, and Mount Sinai’s nationally renowned Center to Advance Palliative Care.

CAPC fireside chat: Leading through change and uncertainty in palliative careAmerican Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) and Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC); to be presented by Brynn Bowan, MPA, Rikki Hopper, FNPT-C, MBA, Kristina Newport, MD, FAAHPM, and R. Sean Morrison, MD; retrieved 1/2/26, to be presented 1/14/25, 3:00-4:00 ESTPeriods of organizational or environmental change can test even the most experienced leaders. ... In this fireside chat, national leaders from CAPC, AAHPM, HPNA, and the Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai will reflect on how palliative care leaders can stay grounded and effective during times of uncertainty—maintaining clarity, confidence, and compassion while advancing the field. Attendees will explore strategies to sustain team morale and well-being, foster collaboration across disciplines, and keep equity, quality, and patient-centered care at the heart of their work. The discussion will also highlight emerging opportunities for innovation, research, and shared leadership as palliative care continues to evolve within a changing health care landscape. [Registration is free.]

How palliative services can smooth over transitions of care Hospice News; by Kevin Ryan; 12/17/25 Transitions of care are crucial moments for patients, often fraught with risks, but palliative care providers can help ensure that the changes go more smoothly. One way of doing this is through transitional care. Transitional care is a dynamic and highly personalized type of care that provides care services to assist patients as they move between different levels of health care. This may include a patient transitioning from a hospital setting to another care facility, or to their home. Transitional care helps bridge service gaps and enhances communication as patients move between health care settings, according to Dr. Diane Meier, founder of the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC).