In association with the Alliance, the Ministry Leadership Center (MLC) was established in California in 2004, following two years of planning and program design, by five Catholic health care systems operating in California — Catholic Healthcare West, Daughters of Charity Health System, Providence Health & Services, St. Joseph Health System, and Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. Together, these health systems work to ensure that their shared mission and values remain integral to the decision-making process at all management and governance levels of their Catholic health care ministries.
The Alliance works collaboratively on legislative and other issues of mutual interest with the California Catholic Conference. The California Catholic Conference represents California’s bishops (and their dioceses) and allows for the coordination of the concerns of the Church in state public policymaking. The California Catholic Conference staff communicates the California bishops' public policy priorities to the members of the legislative and administration branches of state governments and works cooperatively with other religious and secular agencies.
The Alliance is a major financial contributor to and Governing Board member of the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California (Coalition), a statewide partnership of more than 95 regional and statewide organizations promoting high-quality, compassionate end-of-life care for all Californians. Among several other end of life projects, the Coalition leads the California POLST Project. Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) is a form that specifies the types of medical treatment that a seriously ill patient wishes to receive. The Alliance was the co-sponsor of the legislation that recognizes the POLST form in California law.
The Alliance is a key facilitator and supporter of Californians Against Assisted Suicide, a statewide and diverse coalition of disability rights, Latino, health care workers, low income and faith-based organizations formed to defeat efforts to legalize assisted suicide in California. Since 2005, the Coalition has defeated every legislative measure to legalize assisted suicide in California. The Coalition remains strong and active, focusing its education and outreach on the legislative and executive branches of California’s government. There are many resources on the Coalition’s website, including the facts about assisted suicide, video testimony of legislative hearings, legislative contact information, and the latest news and releases.