Children experiencing grief will have access to a new program beginning in the 2019-2020 school year. Hospice’s Children’s Bereavement Program has been active in schools throughout St. Lawrence County for more than twenty years. In its latest expansion, Hospice staff will train school personnel as facilitators for a six-week grief support group which will include a curriculum guide and a starter kit of materials for numerous activities to be completed weekly.

The Grief Adventure Program is a six-week group for middle and high school students grieving the loss of a loved one or classmate. The premise of The Grief Adventure Program (TGAP) is to create a curriculum for school counselors to use when offering the program at school. TGAP curriculum provides a step by step guide on how to deliver the program. There will be regular check- ins for feelings: compass readings. Students will work on plotting out the grief map, each week, preparing for rough terrain and learning to appreciate the calmer portions of the journey. School professionals will be trained on the curriculum in November of 2019. Groups will be rolled out shortly after that with the ongoing support of Hospice Bereavement staff.

Funding for this program expansion was led by longtime supporters of the Children’s Bereavement Program; Steve, Laurie and Eian House in loving memory of Christian House. After learning about the need in schools and the lack of funding, the House family was very quick to provide the initial gift to launch the program. As a passionate advocate of the program, Steve worked with Todd Mashaw, CEO of St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union to facilitate a donation which will be used to purchase additional materials for activities.

In addition to this program expansion, Hospice Bereavement staff provide one training annually to school counselors and other professionals who work with youth. Education at staff development days, assistance with crisis planning, classroom education and support following the death of a student, teacher or staff member is also available. Every school district in St. Lawrence County, has been served and staff have also been contracted to provide education to schools in neighboring counties.

Effectively addressing childhood grief is extremely important, however, funding for these services is scarce. Hospice is grateful to the House family, St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union and the Youth Philanthropy Council of the Northern New York Community Foundation for recognizing the importance of these services and donating generously to ensure children have access to much needed support. In addition to these funding sources, community support helps to offset bereavement services offered by Hospice. For more information on the services available, please contact Donna Trim-Calk at 315-265-3105.

Mary Jones

Director of Family Support Services, Hospice and Palliative Care of St. Lawrence Valley