Advance Care Planning Facilitator Training

The Respecting Choices® First Steps Facilitator Training prepares participants to assist healthy adults to choose a healthcare advocate; examine their values, wishes and goals; and document and share their preferences. Advance Care Planning (ACP) facilitation is a vital skill for end-of-life doulas, medical care providers, chaplains, social workers, and hospice administrators. Every adult should complete ACP upstream of a crisis. The Respecting Choices model is evidence-based, internationally recognized and has been developed over 25 years. Training also includes community engagement strategies, barriers to completing, storing and retrieving Advance Directives, and quality improvement.

Upcoming Trainings

Advance Care Planning Facilitator Training
LIVE, online via zoom
Tuesday, September 29 , 2020, 11:00 am - 4:30 pm EST/8:00 am - 1:30 pm PST
Participants must complete 4 online learning modules prior to "class" and be present for the whole class period. This LIVE online class includes videos, powerpoint, large group discussion, small breakout group discussions and role play exercises.
Have questions?
Ready to register?

NEW! Advance Care Planning Refresher Class

Friday, October 23, 2020
1:00 - 2:30 pm EDT/10:00 - 11:30 am PDT
Has it been awhile since you've taken the Respecting Choices First Steps ACP Facilitator training? Do you want to practice so you can become certified? This refresher is for you! We will review communication skills and conversation guides, do role plays, and discuss how to properly complete documents in the time of COVID. All in 90-minutes! Fasten your seat belt!
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Cost: $65 (includes new handouts). Please note: Only for those who have taken RC 1st Steps with me in the past.

A process of communication,
not a signature on a document

As a trained Advance Care Planning Facilitator, you enable individuals to:
  • Understand their choices for future healthcare.
  • Reflect on personal goals, values, religious and cultural beliefs.
  • Talk to physicians, healthcare agents and loved ones about their preferences.
​To be effective, this process of communication needs to be individualized, based on a person’s state of health and revisited periodically. It is not enough to simply complete a written form and file it away.
 
Training prerequisites take approximately four to six hours to complete and include:
  • Completing four online training modules (access is provided to registrants).
  • Initiating an advance care planning discussion with someone.
  • Completing an Advance Directive practice document of your own.
  • Respecting Choices® Certification
Cost for on-line interactive training and learning modules: $250
"I took the Advance Care Planning Facilitator Training with Merilynne and learned a lot! She is a wonderful and thorough trainer! Her knowledge and experience is an asset to this training. She went above and beyond to make sure we could accomplish this via video conferencing. I highly recommend signing up with Merilynne."
Cindy Kaufman, May 2020
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​Compassionate Communities: A Public Health Approach to End-of-Life Care by Merilynne Rush, MSHP, RN, BSN