Bereavement Professional

I manage the bereavement services department at our hospice.  We have had a recent change in administration and they have directed us to now start placing a donation envelope in our bereavement mailings to our clients.  Our bereavement staff are licensed social workers and licensed counselors.  My concern is ethical in nature.  I would appreciate any input or thoughts from this group.  Thank you.

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Wendy Tabor-Buth
Bereavement Manager
Hospice of the Red River Valley
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Good morning,

This is a good discussion question. We always follow a rule of thumb that intentional fund raising is off limits to families until a year after the death. They may opt in for our signature event or memorial tokens (pavers) as mentioned on our website and in newsletters, but none of the standard methods target bereaved families; letter requests, donor opportunities, etc.

Have a great week, everyone!

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Terri C. Ray, MA, NCC, LPCS
Director of Counseling Services
Gaston Hospice
Gastonia, NC 28054
704-861-8405

Original Message:
Sent: 12-17-2015 10:35
From: Wendy Tabor-Buth
Subject: bereavement mailings

I manage the bereavement services department at our hospice.  We have had a recent change in administration and they have directed us to now start placing a donation envelope in our bereavement mailings to our clients.  Our bereavement staff are licensed social workers and licensed counselors.  My concern is ethical in nature.  I would appreciate any input or thoughts from this group.  Thank you.

------------------------------
Wendy Tabor-Buth
Bereavement Manager
Hospice of the Red River Valley
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Like Terri, we don't directly solicit families until a year has passed, although we do have donation envelopes in our grief center and there is a line in our consent form that states donations are welcome and appreciated, but not required. Some people we work with, when the learn we don't charge for our services, really want to contribute anyway.

I don't think this is an ethical concern, though. Businesses have a right to ask for donations or to charge for services rendered, but it sure doesn't feel good going about it the way your administration has chosen to do. Yes, standing on ethical ground would give you a good counter to challenge your administration, but I don't think there is an ethical issue- just a degree of "ick" that doesn't feel good the way they are doing it.

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Daniel Speis, MSW, LICSW
Coordinator of Grief Support & Spiritual Care Services
Hospice of the Panhandle

Original Message:
Sent: 12-17-2015 10:44
From: Terri Ray
Subject: bereavement mailings

Good morning,

This is a good discussion question. We always follow a rule of thumb that intentional fund raising is off limits to families until a year after the death. They may opt in for our signature event or memorial tokens (pavers) as mentioned on our website and in newsletters, but none of the standard methods target bereaved families; letter requests, donor opportunities, etc.

Have a great week, everyone!

------------------------------
Terri C. Ray, MA, NCC, LPCS
Director of Counseling Services
Gaston Hospice
Gastonia, NC 28054
704-861-8405

I agree with Daniel..."ick."  I once mentioned the idea of putting donation envelopes out at our memorial Service and NO ONE thought this was a good idea.  I'm not sure what our Memorial Fund does, in terms of mailing to our families,as it is a Foundation and operates independently of the Hospice services.  We do include information on the fund in our Admission packs and it is not uncommon for families to have donations sent to us in lieu of flowers.  I'm wondering if your new administration would consider a separate mailing, with the benefits of the donation highlighted rather than the materiel being about grief.

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Merrie MacHose, [M.A.
Bereavement Coordinator
Heartland Home Care and Hospice
Allentown, PA

Original Message:
Sent: 12-17-2015 10:56
From: Daniel Speis
Subject: bereavement mailings

Like Terri, we don't directly solicit families until a year has passed, although we do have donation envelopes in our grief center and there is a line in our consent form that states donations are welcome and appreciated, but not required. Some people we work with, when the learn we don't charge for our services, really want to contribute anyway.

I don't think this is an ethical concern, though. Businesses have a right to ask for donations or to charge for services rendered, but it sure doesn't feel good going about it the way your administration has chosen to do. Yes, standing on ethical ground would give you a good counter to challenge your administration, but I don't think there is an ethical issue- just a degree of "ick" that doesn't feel good the way they are doing it.

------------------------------
Daniel Speis, MSW, LICSW
Coordinator of Grief Support & Spiritual Care Services
Hospice of the Panhandle

Like Terri, Daniel, and Merrie, our organization doesn't solicit from the bereaved population for the first 13 months. Our NHPCO Guidelines (2002), under Fund Development/Endownments/Grants, actually states in the last paragraph, last sentence, "However, family members should not be directly solicited (through the mail, by phone or in person) for donations during he 13 months that they are in the hospice bereavement care program.

I, personally, do believe it is unethical to solicit the bereaved population. Here are a few considerations that I base it upon:

• The first law of ethics in business, counseling, social work - even marketing is "Do no harm."
• The bereaved can truly be a vulnerable population; e.g., many of us know of cases in our own communities where individuals have placed significant financial strain upon themselves in order to bury or send off his or her beloved with grandeur. 
• Grief itself is an emotional wounding that challenges one's stability. As a grief counselor, I encourage clients not to make what could be, life changing decisions until they become more grounded with their feelings and emotions.
• Especially in the early stages of grief it's not uncommon for the bereaved to describe the deceased as though the individual was a saint (which naturally encourages patronage) but later hear a more realistic description of the deceased being human.

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Wesley Sturgis, LCSW
Bereavement Counselor
Novant Health Hospice & Palliative Care

Original Message:
Sent: 12-17-2015 10:35
From: Wendy Tabor-Buth
Subject: bereavement mailings

I manage the bereavement services department at our hospice.  We have had a recent change in administration and they have directed us to now start placing a donation envelope in our bereavement mailings to our clients.  Our bereavement staff are licensed social workers and licensed counselors.  My concern is ethical in nature.  I would appreciate any input or thoughts from this group.  Thank you.

------------------------------
Wendy Tabor-Buth
Bereavement Manager
Hospice of the Red River Valley
------------------------------

Someone mentioned NHPCO Guidelines- 2002. Can you tell me where to find this? I have searched and am not coming up with this. Thanks.

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Laura Hickman
Harbor Hospice

Original Message:
Sent: 12-18-2015 11:08
From: Wesley Sturgis
Subject: bereavement mailings

Like Terri, Daniel, and Merrie, our organization doesn't solicit from the bereaved population for the first 13 months. Our NHPCO Guidelines (2002), under Fund Development/Endownments/Grants, actually states in the last paragraph, last sentence, "However, family members should not be directly solicited (through the mail, by phone or in person) for donations during he 13 months that they are in the hospice bereavement care program.

I, personally, do believe it is unethical to solicit the bereaved population. Here are a few considerations that I base it upon:

• The first law of ethics in business, counseling, social work - even marketing is "Do no harm."


• The bereaved can truly be a vulnerable population; e.g., many of us know of cases in our own communities where individuals have placed significant financial strain upon themselves in order to bury or send off his or her beloved with grandeur. 


• Grief itself is an emotional wounding that challenges one's stability. As a grief counselor, I encourage clients not to make what could be, life changing decisions until they become more grounded with their feelings and emotions.


• Especially in the early stages of grief it's not uncommon for the bereaved to describe the deceased as though the individual was a saint (which naturally encourages patronage) but later hear a more realistic description of the deceased being human.

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Wesley Sturgis, LCSW
Bereavement Counselor
Novant Health Hospice & Palliative Care

To me, it does feel like a conflict of interest. Along the same lines of soliciting positive survey results at bereavement calls. I think there should be a clear distinction for the sake of the relationship with the bereaved. It's one thing to respond to inquiries about donations, another thing to send it without. 

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Sarah Layton, MSW, LCSW
Bereavement Coordinator
Bereavement Professional Steering Committee Member
Heartland Hospice St. Louis, MO

Original Message:
Sent: 12-17-2015 10:35
From: Wendy Tabor-Buth
Subject: bereavement mailings

I manage the bereavement services department at our hospice.  We have had a recent change in administration and they have directed us to now start placing a donation envelope in our bereavement mailings to our clients.  Our bereavement staff are licensed social workers and licensed counselors.  My concern is ethical in nature.  I would appreciate any input or thoughts from this group.  Thank you.

------------------------------
Wendy Tabor-Buth
Bereavement Manager
Hospice of the Red River Valley
------------------------------