Kinda Serafi
Kinda Serafi’s practice focuses on providing public policy analysis and strategic planning for stakeholders in the healthcare industry. Ms. Serafi has extensive experience working with public health insurance programs and represents a broad array of healthcare clients in navigating the legal and operational challenges of Medicaid, SCHIP and the implementation of health care reform. She provides strategic counsel, policy analysis and research support to state and city governments, foundations, Medicaid service providers and advocacy organizations.
Prior to joining Manatt, Ms. Serafi served as the director of policy of the Children’s Defense Fund in New York, where she conducted policy analysis, managed key projects and provided advocacy on behalf of low-income children and families living in New York. Specifically, her work focused on developing strategies to secure the passage of legislation to simplify public health insurance program rules, expand eligibility levels and on building consensus among key advocates and state-elected officials on these significant issues. Ms. Serafi also worked for two years as the director of legal advocacy and organizing at the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, where she launched and supervised a multidisciplinary civil legal services department. Prior to these positions, Ms. Serafi was a law guardian at the Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Division where she represented abused and neglected children in all aspects of Bronx Family Court litigation, including child welfare, custody, visitation and adoption proceedings. She also served as the deputy director of programs and policy for the Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, D.C.

For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 























































































































































