Grief & Bereavement in America: Exploring Compassionate Policy and Systems Responses

Bereavement — the death of someone meaningful in our lives -— is increasingly a direct concern for millions of people. Given the concurrence of mortality epidemics – COVID-19, homicide, overdose, suicide, maternal mortality, and traffic fatalities – grief and bereavement are an everyday reality for every neighborhood in America.

Unbeknownst to most people, bereavement is a significant risk factor for poor health and premature death. It also impacts economic opportunity, redirecting life trajectories downward, and has major spillover effects at every stage of life. Bereavement, for example, is associated with poor academic achievement, substance misuse, teen pregnancy, mental health concerns, incarceration, suicide attempts, suicide, and premature death — and a host of other public concerns.

Given bereavement’s emergence into the national policy agendas, this webinar will provide a framework to: 

1. Learn the basics about grief and bereavement,
2. Understand emerging developments at a national level, and
3. Explore how states can incorporate compassionate responses within existing policies, programs, and systems.