High Desert Victorville Unit of Region Report

The High Desert Unit currently meets on the 3rd Monday every other month at Mimi’s Café in Victorville, CA. Our next meeting is scheduled for Monday May 16th at 5:30 p.m. with a presentation by Paul Zak, LCSW.

Are you all aware of the Death with Dignity Act? Well, if you haven’t heard yet, California has adopted similar legislation referred to as the  California End of Life Option Act which will go into effect on June 9, 2016.

The Act allows terminally ill people in the last six months of their lives to request life ending medications from their doctor in order to end their suffering and not prolong the dying process. There are certain qualifications and restrictions for this to happen.

Please join us for this exciting presentation as Paul will educate our group on the particulars of the Act, who qualifies, what safeguards are built into the legislation, and how you as a social worker may be called upon the advocate for your clients who may be facing end of life issues.

This is also a chance to begin to clarify what treatment you personally might want at the end of your life if you or your own loved ones are facing a terminal illness.

Paul Zak, LCSW, has been a social worker for over 20 years.  He worked in Community Mental Health in San Francisco for nearly 10 years, serving clients with HIV, mental illness, and substance use issues.  He also maintained a private psychotherapy practice in Palm Springs for 10 years.  Paul retired from practice 2 years ago.  He has been trained by Compassion and Choices to voluntarily give presentations on the California End of Life Option Act.

Paul formerly served as the Unit Chair of the NASW Desert Cities Unit in Palm Springs from 2005-2007.

For more information please contact Unit Chairs Kimberly Cox at profiler2k@yahoo.com or Karen Quinn at wren98@msn.com

Mimi’s Café is located at 12032 Amargosa Rd., Victorville, CA 92392