A Caring Hand, Founded in Memory of Billy Esposito

eens have a life filled with joy and happiness. Yet for some, their lives are forever changed at a young age when they experience the unfortunate death of a significant person from disasters such as fire, illnesses such as cancer, or human acts of violence. By some estimates, 90% of students will experience the loss of a family member before finishing high school and it is believed that up to 5% of all children experience the death of a parent or sibling by the time they finish high school. a death there is often sadness, confusion, isolation, guilt, or even shame. For some young people, grief left unaddressed can lead to hopelessness, acting out, and poor school performance. No child or family should feel they are alone in their grief when facing the challenge of life without a cherished loved . We are here to help family members learn emotionally healthy ways to live after the pain of someone’s death. The main program components of the Bereavement Services include:

Group support: Our 11 week group support program for children and teens and their caregivers runs in the Fall, Winter, and Spring. The program is based on common bereavement tasks and is co-facilitated by trained volunteers and mental health professionals. Individual evaluation and help: We evaluate bereaved individuals to assess how best to meet their needs. Services and referrals are tailored to meet the specific needs of family members. Outreach: We do outreach to individuals, schools, and organizations to provide information about services and recruit clients and group leaders. Consultation: We are available for consultation to educate professionals, schools, businesses, and service providers about grief and bereavement. Training: Volunteer training and supervision for group facilitators is provided. Supervision: Professional supervision and training of mental health trainees can be arranged.