Suicide and End of Life Options

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to suicide, societal issues, end-of-life options, and relevant legislation.

Societal stigma

Negative societal beliefs and attitudes towards individuals who die by suicide.

Financial repercussions

Significant monetary consequences related to the determination of suicide.

Suicide Notes

Messages left by individuals before attempting or completing suicide, often providing insight into their thoughts.

Intent

The determination of whether a death was a suicide, accident, or homicide based on evidence such as notes.

Investigative Focus

Key areas of inquiry in suicide investigations, such as the intent to end life and decedent’s background and prior behavior.

Key areas in decedent’s background for investigative focus

• Recent behavior changes that may indicate emotional distress.

• History of suicidal ideations or previous attempts.

• Current life challenges, e.g., employment status, financial issues, health problems, and personal or domestic troubles.

Physician Assisted Suicide

A practice where a physician provides a patient with the means to end their own life, often due to terminal illness.

EOLA Requirements

Criteria that must be met for an individual to be eligible for aid-in-dying in California. The EOLA allows adults with terminal illnesses to request aid-in-dying medication under specific conditions:

• Physician has diagnosed an incurable terminal disease, medically confirmed, that will result in death within 6 months

• Must be a resident of California and able to establish residency.

• Must voluntarily request and have the physical and mental ability to self-administer the aid-in-dying drug.

Self-administered aid-in-dying drug

A medication provided to terminally ill patients that they can take themselves to end their life.

California End of Life Option Act

Legislation that allows terminally ill adults to request and receive aid-in-dying under specific conditions.

Decedent’s background

Information about the deceased individual that may provide context for the suicide investigation.

Natural death

A death caused by natural processes rather than unnatural causes such as suicide or homicide.

EOLA and Insurance Considerations

• The act specfically provides that death resulting from the self-administration of aid-in-dying drugs is not classified as suicide under Health and Safety Code 443.13(b).

• Death from this act has the same impact on life, health, and annuity policy as a natural death.

• Prohibits health and insurance coverage from being exempted on the basis of death brought on by this act.