Providers, families urge codifying pediatric palliative care through age 22

Hospice and pediatric palliative‑care providers, program managers and families urged the committee to codify an extended eligibility age of 22 for the state pediatric palliative care program, currently supported in annual budgets but not yet codified in statute. Christine McMichael of the Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts said the program supports hundreds of children and families and that the legislation would make a recent budgetary extension permanent. "Extending this eligibility to 22 would allow the program to better assist young adults and their families," she told the committee.Lindsay Ko, a pediatric palliative care manager, read parents' statements describing how services such as music therapy, massage, child life and nursing provided critical support and preserved quality of life. "Graduating at 22 honors their journey," said one parent quoted by Ko, emphasizing that many patients are neurologically not typical adults and need continuity of care.An adult who had formerly received pediatric palliative services, Jillian Allaire, described the program as a "lifeline" and said remaining in pediatric palliative care through age 22 would have helped her recover from a liver transplant and manage transitions to adult health care. Supporters asked the committee to report favorably on Senate Bill 1507 so the statutory change matches recent budget language and prevents future gaps in services.