The National Prison Hospice Association promotes hospice care for terminally ill prisoners. Our purpose is to assist corrections and hospice professionals in their continuing efforts to develop high quality patient care procedures and management programs. We provide a network for the exchange of information between corrections facilities, community hospices, and other concerned agencies about existing programs, best practices, and new developments in the prison hospice field.

WHAT IS HOSPICE?

Hospice is an interdisciplinary, comfort-oriented program of care that allows seriously ill and dying patients to live and die with dignity and humanity and with as little pain as possible. Hospice provides emotional and spiritual support and preparation for the natural process of dying. Each patient has a hospice care team made up of physicians, nurses, chaplains, social workers and hospice volunteers. Palliative care, pain management, symptom control, and family support are crucial parts of the hospice philosophy.