In May of 2023 we launched a pilot in Utah to pioneer an approach to identifying children who have lost a parent or caregiver. The initiative will employ a three-pronged approach to implement an effective identification system: Overlapping statewide birth and death records to match birth parents listed for children under the age of 18 with those of the deceased. This groundbreaking effort will provide a scalable and sustainable means for authorized government entities to identify young individuals who have lost a parent, enabling organizations to continually offer support to grieving children.
Collaborating with school systems to add language to their back-to-school forms. This effort will allow remaining caregivers to voluntarily disclose the death of a parent or caregiver and opt-in to receive vital resources and support.
Advocating for the inclusion of a checkbox on death certificates to alert appropriate organizations and state entities that a dependent child has been left in the care of the deceased.
There are over 60,000 young people in Utah who have experienced the death of a parent or caregiver.
One in 15 children in Utah will experience the death of a parent or sibling before they reach 18 years old.
Nationally, children who experience parental loss are at a higher risk of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress symptoms, dropping out of school, less academic success, and economic turmoil.
“It’s harder than people think, the dramatic change of your caretaker being there every single day of your life and then all of a sudden they’re gone. Your whole world changes. Everything changes. Radical change like that can affect you for a long time.”
Age 16, Arizona
Lost Father
“It’s harder than people think, the dramatic change of your caretaker being there every single day of your life and then all of a sudden they’re gone. Your whole world changes. Everything changes. Radical change like that can affect you for a long time.”
Age 16, Arizona
Lost Father
Photos
Updates
June 26, 2023
Utah pilot program aims to support grieving kids
Kiowa Country Press
May 30, 2023
UT Pilot Program Aims to Support Grieving Kids
Public News Service
May 25, 2023
Where can Utah families turn for support when mom, dad or other caregiver dies?
Deseret News
May 25, 2023
Utah launches 1st-of-its-kind program to support children grieving loss of a caregiver
KSL.com
May 25, 2023
Where can Utah families turn for support when mom, dad or other caregiver dies?
Deseret News
May 24, 2023
New York Life Foundation to Invest $1M
New York Life Foundation
May 24, 2023
Granite School District first in Utah to include bereavement information on their back to school forms.
Granite School District
May 24, 2023
Governor Cox to announce new initiative to help Utah Children who experience the death of a parent of caregiver.
Partner Organizations
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