The Goals of Care Coalition of New Jersey (GOCCNJ) was founded in 2018 to better communicate, coordinate and collaborate on issues and activities to improve care for people living with serious illness. GOCCNJ aims to increase access to high-quality, person-centered palliative and end-of-life care services by convening stakeholders, advocating for equitable policies and improved health outcomes, and sharing best practices and resources.
An independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, GOCCNJ is comprised of nearly 30 statewide organizations representing the interests of older adults and people with serious illness, and the diverse group of professionals that care for them including the academic institutions in NJ training the next generation of providers.
Human interests and personal values must be at the core of medical decision-making. As such, GOCCNJ aspires to create a standard of care for NJ where people receive care consistent with their goals and values, and that honors their dignity, regardless of race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status or where the care is delivered. GOCCNJ’s vision is that all patients with serious illness get the care they need and no less, and the care they want and no more.
GOCCNJ’s mission is to provide policymakers, healthcare providers (HCPs), patients, and family caregivers with the information, resources, training, and tools they need to access comprehensive, high-quality, person-centered advance care planning, palliative, and end-of-life care.
Together with our Coalition members, GOCCNJ builds relationships with key stakeholders and policymakers, advocates to improve access to advance care planning, and palliative, and hospice care services, and serves as a resource for those who want accurate information about palliative and end-of-life care.
The members of GOCCNJ are working together to encourage expanded access to community-based palliative care. The Coalition is also engaged in research to better understand the need as well as the capacity to deliver that care and to identify educational and competency gaps in training the next generation of HCPs who will care for our older adults and those with serious illness.
GOCCNJ recently launched Your CarePlan™, a quality improvement program that makes it easy for HCPs to complete POLST forms and enables them to deliver care that is better aligned with their patient’s wishes. A video-guided program using guided scripts, gentle prompts, and short, straightforward informational videos to simplify the conversation about goals of care and choices for treatment, Your CarePlan facilitates POLST documentation, improves patient health literacy, and ensures informed consent.
GOCCNJ also provides free resources offered in multiple languages including a Let’s Talk Guidebook & Video Series, and 4Step iCare Plan, to support individuals as they embark on their advance care planning journey.
For information about these programs and the work of the GOCCNJ, please contact Beth at bhirschman@goalsofcare.org
GOCCNJ joined C-TAC’s membership to access and build relationships with thought leaders, utilize timely and relevant tools and resources, and tap into policy and advocacy expertise so that GOCCNJ may advance our work in New Jersey to improve care for patients with serious illness.
