Care Decisions Connecticut, a collaboration among healthcare partners and state government to improve palliative and hospice care and quality of life for state residents with serious illnesses, will host a kickoff program from 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Connecticut Hospital Association’s offices, 110 Barnes Road, Wallingford.

The initiative was developed in 2016 when the Connecticut Hospital Association Board of Trustees identified the importance of empowering residents to take control of their serious illness and end-of-life care planning. The hospital association approached various care providers, organizations and advocates to join as partners in the project.

Speakers at the program will be:

• Kevin Lembo, state comptroller

• Susan Frampton, president of Planetree International. Her keynote address is titled, “Strategies for Change - A Collaborative Journey to Transform Advanced Illness Care.”

• A panel featuring end-of-life and serious illness care experiences from varied perspectives, including a personal story

The Care Decisions Connecticut initiative is led by co-chairpersons Dr. Adam Silverman, vice president, Ambulatory Strategy and Development, Trinity Health – New England; and Karen Mulvihill, advanced practice registered nurse and director of Palliative Care Services at Danbury Hospital. Program co-sponsors include the hospital association, the Health Research and Educational Trust, the Connecticut Healthcare Research and Education Foundation and The Conversation Project.

For information, visit: www.CareDecisionsCT.org