In the News | 2023 National Conference and Webcast | Teen Grief Journal Launched in English & Spanish | Equity Project Begins
Grief Reach 2023 Cycle 1 Recipients Awarded | Educational Webinars | Board of Directors | Additional Updates
NACG in the News:
- Southern Funeral Directors Magazine Interview
- Judi’s House “Female Leaders in Childhood Bereavement” Interview
2023 National Conference and Webcast
We hosted the first National Conference and Webcast on March 21st in Baltimore, MD. Eleanor Haley, MS, and Litsa Williams, MA, LCSW-C presented on the important topic, “Supporting Children and Families Following an Overdose Death,” to a live audience in Roberta’s House and community audiences across the country. “Provisional data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics indicate that there were an estimated 100,306 drug overdose deaths in the United States during a 12-month period ending in April 2021, an increase of 28.5% from the 78,056 deaths during the same period the year before” (Center for Disease Control, 2021). Supporting the communities impacted by this epidemic is a critical issue across the United States. Despite its prevalence, the impact on children and families the impact of accompanying grief isn’t well-researched and often remains overshadowed and misunderstood. The speakers shared their knowledge and insights and provided strategies for supporting those dealing with the most common complex issues of substance-related grief in children and adults, including disenfranchised grief, guilt, blame, anxiety and hypervigilance, relief, and introducing basic coping tools for individuals and support systems. Specific attention will be given to the needs of children and tools for assisting caregivers in supporting children grieving substance-related deaths.
Thank you to our speakers, our lead sponsor, Dignity Memorial, our host, Roberta’s House, and organizations nationwide who convened their community for education on this topic. We look forward to our next National Conference and Webcast in early 2024.
Teen Grief Journal Launched in English and Spanish
On March 21st, the NACG launched its Teen Grief Journal in both English and Spanish. This book was developed in collaboration with teens who are grieving. The NACG was intentional in involving the teens in every step of the process and includes supportive quotes from them on every page.
Thanks to MAPA Translations, who are our partner in the development of all our Spanish language resources.
Equity Project Begins
We were proud to launch the NACG Equity Project in Q1, 2023 answering this need for dedicated training in the area of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (J.E.D.I). This project makes six hours of dedicated training available to participants at no charge, thanks to the support of our partner, the New York Life Foundation. The program reached capacity registration within a week of launch, signaling the commitment of the professional childhood bereavement network we support to this critical area. Training associated with this initiative will continue into Q2 2023.
In addition, the NACG Board continued centering Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice through direct participation in the Equity Project.
Grief Reach 2023 Cycle 1 Recipients Awarded
In partnership with New York Life Foundation, Grief Reach entered its 12th year of advancing bereavement support for children through a dedicated funding opportunity. The first cycle of Grief Reach in 2023 focused on funding for capacity-building opportunities. Congratulations to the following organizations who were funded as part of the cycle: Caring Matters, MD; New Hope Grief Support, CA; Mourning Hope, NE; New Hope for Kids, FL; Children’s Bereavement Center of the Rio Grande Valley, TX; Na Keiki O Emalia, HI; Ele’s Place, MI; Youth First, IN; Sharing Kindness, MA; The Center for Grieving Children, ME; and Wild grief, WA.
We are grateful for the investment of the New York Life Foundation and the work of these organizations in positively impacting the lives of bereaved children and their families across the nation.
Educational Webinars
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- Centering Intersectionality Within the Field of Childhood Bereavement with Dr. Adam Carter, National Clinical Director at NACG
- Occupational Therapy’s Role in Supporting Children’s Grief: Tools, Sensory Strategies, and When to Refer with Michelle Michaels, OT Doctoral Student at Huntington University.
Board of Directors
The NACG welcomed four new board members in the beginning of 2023:
- Micki Burns, PhD, Chief Clinical Officer at Judi’s House
- Michael Millward, Senior Advisor at National Partnership for Hospice and Healthcare Innovation
- Brie Overton, FT, LPC, NCC, Chief Clinical Officer at Experience Camps
- Adam Stevens, MA, RDT, Program Manager, Bereavement & Mental Health Services at the Hetrick-Martin Institute
The Board continued centering Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice through direct participation in the Equity Project with Linara Davidson Greenidge.
Additional Updates
The NACG continues to update our resources and toolkits to ensure they are up to date in best practices and language. This quarter included updates to the NACG Holiday Toolkit.
The NACG continues to host monthly calls with leaders and members, including students/interns.