ServicesContinuing CareCommunity based licensed health care professionals provide bereavement counseling home visits to the family. The overall goal of counseling is to mobilize the strengths of the family to assimilate the loss of the infant or child in a way that allows family members to continue to function and to recognize life is worth living and happiness is possible. A total of 21 agencies and over 60 community-based licensed health care professionals contract with the Massachusetts Center to provide follow-up to families during the first year of bereavement. During family meetings, the professional presents accurate information about the cause of death, provides anticipatory guidance regarding the grieving process, evaluates each family member's response to the death, assesses social support systems, informs the family of available resources, obtains medical information for the Center’s statistical database and reviews written autopsy reports. Bereavement home visits and telephone contact are provided during the first year of bereavement and beyond. |
