Death Notification Procedures
OPVS Bulletin - Death Notification Procedures
Have you ever been assigned to tell someone that their family member has died, been seriously injured, or killed? How did you feel about this task? If you felt unprepared, apprehensive, or unsure, you are not alone. These are very common feelings and experiences.
In 1997, the California Youth Authority's Office of Prevention and Victims Services, and Mother's Against Drunk Driving (MADD) co-hosted a six-hour training session sponsored by the federal Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). This technical assistance bulletin was developed from that training session to assist correctional staff when making a death or serious injury notification.
The focus of this bulletin is to recommend techniques for making the notification in a sensitive and thoughtful way. Other important issues including debriefing, personnel issues, and administrative practices are addressed in CYA operational manuals.
WHO MAKES THE NOTIFICATION?
Due to the inherent pressures in making a notification, the selection of the staff person(s) performing this task is a critical part of the process. When death or a serious injury occurs, staff experience pressure on both a professional and personal level. Responding to the immediate demands of the crisis and meeting necessary custodial and program time frames taxes the employee professionally. On a personal level, stress indicators may include expressing or repressing emotions while on duty, reexperiencing past tragic events, and experiencing intense feelings of grief and loss.
COMMON REACTIONS:
- Feeling untrained or unprepared.
- Fear of being wrongly blamed for the death or injury and possibly being physically attacked when making the notification.
- Feeling responsible for the death or injury ("I should have known they were sick", "I should have taken a more thorough count").
- Fear of being labeled weak by co-workers ("It's part of the job," "Aren't you tough enough?").
- Identifying too closely with the injured or deceased person's family.
When possible, establish a "team" to make the notification. The team should be comprised of the following staff member types:
- A person who was present at the incident. This person will be able to provide the family and others with factual information about what happened. This is very important to the people receiving the information.
- Someone who had a working relationship with the injured or deceased person who is able to provide a more personal approach to the notification.
- A clergy member will usually have experience making notifications and can respond to spiritual or religious needs. It is important to be aware of different religious practices and beliefs when requesting a clergy member to assist in making the notification.
- A victims services advocate from the Victim/Witness Assistance Program, a local Mothers Against Drunk Driving or Parents of Murdered Children chapter. This type of collabo-ration must be approved and arranged by a supervisor, prior to the actual notification.
While a team approach can make the notification easier, too many people attending can be overwhelming and confusing to the recipients of the information. Not all team members need be present at the initial notification. Team members in supportive roles can wait nearby until their services are requested.
Parole Services field staff may be called upon to make the notification because of their proximity to the injured or deceased person's family. In these cases, the notification team will probably not have as much in-depth incident information available to them. Communication among those involved in the notification process is very important.
STAFF SELECTION SUMMARY:
- Select staff trained in death notification.
- Select sensitive, mature, and reliable staff who, if possible, want to be involved.
- Select staff who were at the site or had factual knowledge of what happened prior to, during, and after the death or injury.
- Select staff who will have the time to make the notification and stay with the person(s) for awhile.
- Personality and training are more critical than rank. However, if the person responsible for the injury or death is a staff member, then the highest ranking member in the Department should make the notification.
LIMITING POST-NOTIFICATION TRAUMA:
Key factors in helping staff recover from having made a notification include hearing from others (including peers and administrators) that their efforts were appreciated, and participating in debriefing sessions. Staff making the notification should be encouraged to reframe their assignment as an opportunity to do a good job and to be of service in completing an extremely difficult task. It is imperative to debrief the notification team and provide follow up counseling services if necessary. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is common after trauma work and may need to be addressed.
HOW TO NOTIFY
PRE-NOTIFICATION PREPARATION:
- Develop a team plan for making the notification.
- Confirm death or extent of injuries, including identity of person.
- Confirm time, place, and circum-stances of death.
- Confirm the location of the injured or deceased person.
- Receive authorization to release factual, confirmed information to family or others. There may be issues regarding confidentiality or investigative matters.
- Have some form of official identification and business cards available.
NOTIFICATION PRACTICES:
- Whenever possible, a team should make the notification.
- Offer official identification and business cards.
- Make the notification in person, FACE TO FACE. Telephone calls and written notification are not acceptable.
- Ask the person(s) to sit down and sit with them.
- Verify that they are the family of the injured or deceased. Ask directly, "Are you the family of John Smith?"
- Use the injured or deceased person's name and include the facts. Use direct language and don't try to overprotect through euphemisms. Say, "I'm afraid I have some bad news for you." Pause a moment. "Your father, John has been assaulted and he is dead." Pause a moment and then make a supportive statement "I wish I didn't have to tell you this" or "I'm so sorry."
- Let the person respond and ask questions.
- Be prepared for a physical reaction, including fainting, shortness of breath, and nausea. Be aware of the potential for a physical attack.
- Do not restrain the person unless there is imminent danger of injury to themselves or others.
- Notifier(s) should allow a display of their own emotions. This validates the person(s) being notified, demonstrates concern, and has been shown to have a long lasting, positive effect.
- Continue to use the victim's name not " the body" or "the deceased."
- If substantial time has passed before the notification was made, explain why. Explain the importance of taking the time to ensure factual information and verification before making the notification.
- If information must be withheld, explain why. Do not tell the family, "you don't need to know" or "we can't tell you." If possible, give them a time frame for when you can give them this information.
- Ensure that the person(s) is transported to the hospital or any other destination.
- Stay with the person(s) until they have alternate support.
- Leave written information including the names of the staff who made the notification and the location of the victim. Also include addresses and telephone numbers of resources and provide information on the autopsy and morgue procedures.
- When making notifications, resist the temptation to try to comfort people by making promises:
- "The Department will take care of everything"
- "You will be able to see 'John' at the morgue right away"
- "Take as much leave as needed, we will cover your shifts"
- "You will be able to go to the funeral" (for offenders)
- Before leaving, tell the family "Dealing with the death of a loved one is harder than most people think," and "If it's okay with you, I'll check back with you tomorrow."
- Identify a contact person within the family.
- Always follow-up on any commit-ments to contact the family.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
- Use words like "died" and "dead" rather than "gone away" or "passed away."
- Do not downplay a serious injury and give false hope to the family.
- If staff members escort the family to the body or to the hospital, prepare the family for what they will see.
- Debrief all staff and offenders. Do not forget education staff, clerical, and other support personnel. Provide information and referral to services that staff can access on their own.
- Keep in mind, "What would my family want done at a time like this?"
SUBSEQUENT CONTACTS
WHAT TO SAY
I'm so sorry. This is simple, direct, and validating.
It's harder than most people think. This validates, normalizes, encourages them to seek support.
Most people who have gone through this react similarly to what you are experiencing. This validates and normalizes.
If I were in your situation, I'd feel very ______, too. This validates, normalizes, and assures.
I'll check back with you tomorrow, to see how you're doing and if there's anything more I can do for you. This validates significance of loss, expresses concern, introduces an element of control and followup.
WHAT NOT TO SAY
Discounting Statements
I know how you feel. You don't.
Time heals all wounds. It doesn't.
You must go on with your life. They will the best way they can, and they don't need to be told.
He didn't know what hit him. Are you sure?
You'll get over this. They will get better, but they will never "get over it."
You can always find someone worse off than yourself. Not at the moment.
You must focus on your precious memories. Not now.
It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. They don't believe that now.
DISEMPOWERING STATEMENTS
You don't need to know that.
What you don't know won't hurt you.
I can't tell you that. If you can't explain why, tell them when they can expect an answer.
RELIGIOUS CLICHES
It must have been her time.
Someday you'll understand why this happened.
It was actually a blessing. God must have needed him more than you did.
God never gives us more than we can handle.
Only the good die young.
UNHEALTHY EXPECTATIONS
You must be strong for your spouse/children/parents/co-workers.
You must get a hold of yourself.
It's part of the job.
FOLLOW UP
- A member of the team should make contact with the family the next day.
- A departmental representative should attend the funeral and/or other services, with the family's permission. This includes a ward's funeral as well.
- A departmental representative should contact the family once a month for approximately one year, unless they request not to be contacted, or legal issues prevent this.
- Ask the family how and when they would like personal possessions delivered. Do not assume that clothing should be washed. Inventory items and pack in a box. Do not deliver personal items in a plastic bag or trash bag.
- On the anniversary of the death, or on the deceased's birthday, call the family or send a card. If an offender's family member has died, a staff member should try to remember to recontact the offender on the anniversary date.
- In the case of a staff death, have a dual memorial, one for staff and another for the offenders to attend.
- In the case of a staff death or injury, help the family get information about medical benefits and other personnel issues.
- Always fullfill any commitments to contact the family.
WHAT TO SAY
How are you feeling today? This works much better than "How are you?" Which causes most people to automatically respond, "Fine."
Do you feel like talking today?
How are you coping?
Does it hurt more physically or emotionally?
What is it like without him/her?
WHAT NOT TO SAY
I'm sure you're feeling better by now.
Are things back to normal yet?
I know how much you must miss him/her.
Although delivering a serious injury or death notification is a difficult task, awareness and training helps to facilitate responsible and sensitive action.
Contact Office for Victims of Crime Resource Center, 800-627-6872 for a copy of “Breaking the Bad News With Concern for the Professional and Compassion for the Survivor,” a series of four manuals for clergy/funeral directors, law enforcement, medical personnel and victim advocates – created by MADD.
RESOURCES
Office of Prevention and Victims Services (CYA)
916-262-1534
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
1-800-438-6233
Parents of Murdered Children (POMC)
513-721-5683
Correctional Peace Officers Foundation (CPOF)
1-800-800-2763
Concerns of Police Survivors
(COPS)
301-599-0445
Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program
1-800-688-4252
Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) Resource Center
1-800-627-6872
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/
National Criminal Justice Reference Service
1-800-851-3420
http://www.ncjrs.org/
Justice Information (JUST INFO) Electronic Newletter (requires E-mail access) <listproc@ncjrs.org>.
Local Victim/Witness Assistance Programs can be contacted through county District Attorneys Offices
RECOMMENDED READINGS
Kushner, H. (1989)
When Bad Things Happen to Good People
New York: Avon Books
Grollman, E. (1990)
Talking About Death: A Dialogue Between Parent and Child
Boston: Beacon Press
Frigo, V. (1996)
You Can Help Someone Who's Grieving
N.Y., N.Y.: Penguin Books
Wolfelt, A. (1992)
Understanding Grief: Helping Yourself Heal
Muncie, IN: Accelerated Development Publishers
Lord, J. (1986)
No Time for Goodbyes.
Ventura, CA: Pathfinder Publishing
Lord, J. (1988)
Beyond Sympathy
Ventura, CA: Pathfinder Publishing
Office of Prevention and Victim Services Information