Department
of Human Services Review of Specific Grief and Bereavement
Services
The
final report of the Review of Specific Grief and Bereavement
Services funded by the Department of
Human
Services
is now
available for download from the Department of Human Services
website: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/palliativecare/grief.htm
The report includes the recommendations of the review and
a proposed framework for the future development of
grief and bereavement services in Victoria.
The aim of the review was to enhance the ability of services
to provide grief and bereavement counselling and support
across Victoria. The state-wide services which took part in
the review were: The
Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement
The National Association for Loss
and Grief Victoria
Community Bereavement Service and
Mercy Western Grief Service
The
Nucleus Consulting Group were appointed through a public tender
process to conduct the project and a working party drawn from
relevant areas of DHS with consumer representation from the Health
Issues Centre provided additional information and advice.
Outcomes
of the review
The grief and bereavement review found that most people manage
grief and bereavement using natural social supports. Those
who did need counselling or other support were accessing it through
community health services, generalist health and welfare workers
and private practitioners. The review found evidence of a high
level of unmet demand for grief and bereavement counselling,
especially in country Victoria. It also identified duplication
of roles within the four funded grief and bereavement services
in the areas of information, education and training.
Key recommendations
from the grief and bereavement review
included:
| • |
The
development of a future directions policy for grief and
bereavement services |
| • |
Better
support for universal services, such as community health
services, to provide counselling |
| • |
The
creation of a new entity to provide specialist resourcing
and support such as information, training, professional
advice and secondary consultation to facilities already
providing such help |
Implementation
of review outcomes
As part of implementing the review outcomes, new funding of $430,000 has been
provided to community health services to expand their counselling programs.
This funding will be allocated based on local needs and existing services.
Additional funding of $50,000 will also be provided to the new entity to assist
with establishment costs.
Mercy Western Grief Service will continue to provide counselling services in
the western part of North and West Region. Discussions are currently underway
with the Community Bereavement Service, the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement and
the National Association for Loss and Grief, Vic. to finalise their roles in
the service system. [October
29 2004]
Short
Course in Companion Animal Bereavement
This 12-week
part-time course will expose participants to a range of theories
and strategies related to bereavement, animal loss and the
grieving client. it will explore how these theories and strategies
may inform and guide the practitioner's interactions with grieving
clients, and provide participants with grief support intervention
strategies. Topic to be covered include: current issues in
pet bereavement, the practitioner's role - finite and non-finite
losses - anticipatory grief, self-care for the practitioner
- compassion fatigue, grief support skills, ritual and bereavement,
disenfranchised grief and animal loss, recognizing complex
grief, adapting to loss - spiritual approaches and support
groups. There will be ongoing opportunity for professional
and personal development within a small group setting. [August
1 2004]
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