Bell Family’s 85 Years Encompasses Four Generations Page 12 DIRECTORS MONTANA FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION PUB. 1 ISSUE 3, 2022
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©2022 Directors Digest | The newsLINK Group, LLC. All rights reserved. Directors Digest is published four times each year by The newsLINK Group, LLC for the Montana Funeral Directors Association and is the official publication for this association. The information contained in this publication is intended to provide general information for review, consideration and education. The contents do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you need legal advice or assistance, it is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney as to your circumstances. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Montana Funeral Directors Association its board of directors, or the publisher. Likewise, the appearance of advertisements within this publication does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any product or service advertised. Directors Digest is a collective work, and as such, some articles are submitted by authors who are independent of the Montana Funeral Directors Association. While the Montana Funeral Directors Association encourages a first-print policy, in cases where this is not possible, every effort has been made to comply with any known reprint guidelines or restrictions. Content may not be reproduced or reprinted without prior written permission. For further information, please contact the publisher at 855.747.4003. Table of Contents 12 10 16 04 President’s Message: T.J. Stevenson 06 Executive Director Report: James Brown 07 2022-2023 MFDA Calendar of Events 08 2022-2023 MFDA Board of Directors 09 Montana Board of Funeral Service Update 10 MFDA State Association Representative 12 Bell Family’s 85 Years Encompasses Four Generations 16 Data Shows COVID-19 Impact on Funeral Service is Significant 19 Scholarship Recipients 20 Funeral Directors: Recording Usual Occupation and Industry on Death Certificates 22 Biden-Harris Administration Bolsters Monkeypox Response; HHS Secretary Becerra Declares Public Health Emergency 24 Grieving vs. Mourning 26 Understanding America’s Labor Shortage 28 2022 NFDA International Convention & Expo Registration Form 31 2022 MFDA Associate Members Pub. 1 Issue 3, 2022 3
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE T.J. Stevenson It’s hard to believe September is on our doorstep. Where does the summer go? Hopefully, everyone has had a great summer up to this point and enjoyed our beautiful state of Montana. In June, I was fortunate to attend the Leadership Conference in Orlando along with Terri James, Kyle Zimmerman, Chris Holt, and Katie Baca. What a great learning experience! We had round table meetings with other association presidents representing almost every state in the U.S. The NFDA does a top-notch job in hosting events and providing speakers. The most common issue in every state is trying to find help and licensed funeral professionals. There are 1,200 students enrolled in mortuary school each year, and 50% of them will not finish their courses or complete school. Of the 50% who finish, only half of the graduates will pass the National Board Exam. This leaves 300 licensed funeral directors to supply the entire United States funeral homes. The question is: how do we attract, retain and cultivate people to become funeral professionals? A lot of states have added additional licenses for funeral practitioners. This logic pertains to opening a position up for someone who has not gone to mortuary school or completed the NBE. There was a lot of debate and discussion over this idea, especially from practitioners in Minnesota and Wisconsin, where one must be a licensed mortician to make a removal. Some areas of the country are hiring more part-time employees to help with funeral services, removals, and sitting visitations. Some states have gone as far as doing away with or not even recognizing the National Board Exam as a requirement to be licensed in their state. I don’t think that is something we should ever consider; however, I believe the National Board Exam (the Conference) needs to look at the exam questions and the ambiguity in the way they are asked, as it’s very tricky. (As we all know!) Many are not passing the exam and this is definitely a problem. There were rumblings at the Leadership Convention about this issue and leadership is looking into it. The other part of licensing discussed was unification. The question: “Why must we be licensed in every state in order to practice there? There are traveling nurses, doctors, attorneys, etc., and they all have one unified Board Exam they take and can practice all over.” So, there were certainly some interesting conversations that occurred at the conference. I truly appreciate the experience of being able to go and represent Montana. If anyone has some ideas on licensing or recruiting funeral professionals to our state, I am all ears! I plan to go to Baltimore for the NFDA Convention and Tradeshow in October. I hope to see you there. Next, we have our district meetings in November, and I look forward to face-to-face meetings and getting to visit everyone’s facilities. Have a great rest of the summer and the best part of the year is almost here – fall – football and hunting season starts, and I love it! Sincerely, T.J. Stevenson I truly appreciate the experience of being able to go and represent Montana. If anyone has some ideas on licensing or recruiting funeral professionals to our state, I am all ears! 4 Montana Funeral Directors Association
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT James Brown Welcome to the newest edition of the Directors Digest. I write this article on a hot and humid August day here in Montana. We are fortunate that this summer’s fire season has not been bad due to the cooler, wetter June and early July. Coming off a great state convention in June, the Association’s work on your behalf has not slowed down. Newly sworn-in MFDA President T.J. Stevenson and long-time MFDA Membership Coordinator Terri James attended the NFDA’s Leadership Conference held in Orlando in June. While there, Terri met with the representatives of other state funeral associations to discuss issues common to the industry nationally. Not surprisingly, like Montana, other states are experiencing difficulties finding, recruiting, and retaining employees. Further, like Montana, MFDA’s sister states are also watching efforts to undermine the independence and functioning of the state’s funeral board, as well as monitoring the development of closures of homes in more rural areas. These are industry areas MFDA is also paying close attention to. To this end, the Association’s push to have the board of funeral service hold a meeting for the first time since the beginning of February 2021 finally paid off. In July, the Board of Funeral Services met. Among other developments, the Board elected a new chair, Jim Axelson and reviewed the Board’s financials. Due to the drop in activity by the Board and personnel at the Department of Labor, the Board’s finances are well in the black – a position in direct contrast to the prior five to seven years of operation. The Board’s operations, or lack thereof, have garnered the attention of the Montana Legislature. On August 16, the Legislature’s Economic Affairs Committee, which oversees the Department of Labor and the occupational boards housed thereunder, held an oversight hearing on the implementation of House Bill 139 – MFDA’s legislation from the 2021 legislative session. This bill increased the cost of death certificates and directed a portion of the revenue to the Board of Funeral Services for its operations. During the hearing, the Department testified the bill has successfully provided a level of funding that kept the Board from operating in the red, as it was prior to HB 139. The Department of Labor reported the bill raised some $177,000 in revenue, resulting in the Board of Funeral Service showing a significant cash balance of $444,000. If this amount of cash remains this high at the start of the 2023 Montana legislative session, the Association expects there will be an effort to either repeal HB 139 or severely amend it. This is a legislative development and possibility that the Association will be closely tracking during the coming months. Speaking of industry developments, if you did not catch it when it was released, the NFDA released the results of its annual member General Price List Study. The NFDA reported that the median cost of a funeral did not increase as fast as the rate of inflation in 2021. The NFDA reports that the median cost of a funeral has increased roughly 6.6% over the past five years, while the cost of a funeral with cremation has increased by 11.3% during the same time. In contrast, the overall inflation rate was 13.98% for the same period. These are informative and interesting figures. Looking ahead, the Association will be hosting the fall district meeting as live events this year. The fall district meetings will run from November 1 through November 10, starting in Billings on the first and ending in Missoula on the tenth. The Association will also participate in NFDA’s International Convention and Expo in October in Baltimore. The Montana dinner is slated for Monday, October 10. The venue will be the Cindy Lou Fish House, located in the harbor area. The start time will be 6:00 p.m. for appetizers, with dinner at 7:00 p.m. The Montana NFDA dinner is always one of the Association’s more popular events, and you are encouraged to join if you are in Baltimore. Please RSVP by emailing Terri 6 Montana Funeral Directors Association
2022-2023 MFDA CALENDAR OF EVENTS James at info@montanafda.org if you will be attending. You can always find out the happenings of MFDA by visiting the Association webpage at montanafda.org. While there, you will also find useful information on the Montana Funeral Trust, FTC rules, scholarships, and other industry matters. I encourage you to take a few minutes to visit the website each week. In closing, let me again express my appreciation for the confidence the Association has shown in Terri and me over the years. We will continue to do our best to help the Association and its members, like you, succeed. If I don’t see you in person soon, have a great rest of your summer. Sincerely, James Brown, Executive Director NFDA International Convention & Expo October 9-12 Baltimore, MD MFDA Dinner in Baltimore October 10, 6:00 p.m. Cindy Lou’s Fish House District Meetings November 1 – Billings The Windmill & Bar 51 3429 Transtech Way, Billings, MT Social Hour 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Dinner and Meeting 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Speaker: Sgt. Jay M. Nelson November 2 – Miles City Black Iron Grill 2901 Boutelle St. Social hour 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Dinner and Meeting 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Speaker: Walter (Willy) Kemp, Montana’s Chief Medical Examiner Speaker: Sam Pontillo, Federated Insurance November 3 – Butte Metals Sports Bar and Grill 8 W. Park St., Ste. 1, Butte, MT Social hour 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Dinner and Meeting 6:00-8:00 p.m. Speaker: Deacon Dan McGrath November 9 – Great Falls Montana Club Banquet Room 907 Smelter Ave. NE Social Hour 6:00 p.m. Dinner and Meeting 6:30 p.m. Speaker: Representative from MT DPHHS November 10 – Missoula Garden City Funeral Home 1705 W Broadway St, Missoula, MT Social Hour 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Dinner and Meeting 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Speaker: Sgt. Jay Nelson/Active Shooter Training 2023 MFDA Midwinter Conference February 8-9 Best Western Great Northern – Helena Winter Board Meeting February 8 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. MFDA Convention & Trade Show Miles City Event Center June 11-13 Pub. 1 Issue 3, 2022 7
2022-2023 MFDA Board of Directors Matt Coon Southcentral District Governor Billings mtc1@bresnan.net Cell: (406) 951-1546 Fred Nelson Western District Governor The Lake Funeral Home Polson flateheadpolson@centurytel.net Office: (406) 883-2808 Cell: (406) 261-0579 Katie Baca Future Development Leaders Director Just Cremation Montana, Missoula katie@missoulafuneralhomes.com Office: (406) 543-4190 Scott Stevenson Eastern District Governor Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home, Miles City scott@stevensonandsons.com Office: (406) 232-4457 Rick Walter Northcentral District Governor O’Connor Funeral Home and Cremation, Great Falls rick@oconnorfuneralhome.com Office: (406) 453-7257 Brianne Mulvaney Secretary Axelson Funeral & Cremation Services, Butte bri@axelsonfuneralhome.com Office: (406) 494-4264 James Brown Executive Director jim@thunderdomelaw.com Office: (406) 449-7444 Terri James Association Assistant info@montanafda.org Office: (406) 449-7244 Cell: (406) 490-7712 Chris Holt Immediate Past President Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, Helena chris@aswfuneralhome.com Office: (406) 442-8520 T.J. Stevenson President Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home, Miles City tj@stevensonandsons.com Cell: (406) 853-1860 Office: (406) 232-4457 Tyson Moore Vice President Garden City Funeral Home, Missoula tyson@agelessinc.com Cell: (505) 985-2712 Steve Kirkegard Treasurer Cloyd Funeral Home & Cremation Service Lewistown skirkegard@yahoo.com Cell: (406) 868-5437 Office: (406) 538-8711 Kyle Zimmerman NFDA State Association Representative Longfellow Finnegan Riddle Funeral Home, Anaconda iamzmanya@yahoo.com Office: (406) 563-3371 Jessie Billquist Southwestern District Governor Axelson Funeral & Cremation Services, Butte Jessie@axelsonfuneralhome.com Office: (406) 494-4264 8 Montana Funeral Directors Association
Montana Board of Funeral Service Update By Tyson Moore Let me begin by simply stating that this update is the opinion of myself and is not an official statement from the Montana Board of Funeral Service. As many of you might remember, this summer at our MFDA Convention, we discussed the lack of movement with the “Board.” Many of us had conversations with Lieutenant Governor Kristen Juras, which I believe initiated a July 27, 2022, Full Board Meeting. Here are the highlights of the meeting. • Jim Axelson was named Presiding Officer and Ralph Mihlfeld was named Secretary/Treasurer. The Board still has a vacancy for a public member. • The Board considered the letter written by Jim Brown of MFDA, requesting discussion and possible legislative action in 2023 around an “apprentice” program that would allow for students enrolled in an accredited mortuary science program to simultaneously begin work on their internship requirement for full licensure. Executive officer Dan Ritter, not understanding, what MFDA was trying to accomplish, advised that the board to do nothing. After clarification, the conclusion was that Mr. Ritter is to follow up with legal council to see if the board can make changes to the intern license requirements to allow for students to intern while attending school. The remainder of the meeting was nothing short of disappointment. It is clear to me and others that Mr. Ritter and the Department of Labor and Industry are either completely incompetent or trying to place the Board of Funeral Service in a position that the legislature will have to revisit the recently passed death certificate bill we worked so diligently to pass. The Board now has a surplus of money, spilling into the general fund. If the Board continues to have surplus, we can be almost guaranteed the legislature will revisit the bill and defund the board, placing us back into a position where the licensees will continually have to fund the board on their own. Mr. Ritter made it clear that he had not intention of holding regular meetings, even at the request of the members of the board. He could not or refused to answer questions regarding finances, the status of complaints, inspections, and so on. The members of the board were vocal about their frustrations, but those concerns fell on deaf ears. If you get a chance, take some time a listen to the minutes of the meeting. You will surely be disappointed in the Department of Labor and Industry, but you will more fully be aware of the hurdles we are now facing. ■ ©2019 Batesville Services, Inc. We walk in PARTNERSHIP. More than 120 years ago, Batesville began crafting high-quality caskets – and began a journey of helping funeral professionals honor every life with respect and compassion. Along the way, we have learned from thousands of funeral directors, and expanded our business to support every aspect of yours, from guiding families in the selection process to managing your business. Thank you for your partnership, and inspiring us to always go further. WE LISTEN. WE LEARN. WE WALK WITH YOU. To learn how Batesville can make a difference for you and your families, visit Batesville.com/InspiringStories If the Board continues to have surplus, we can be almost guaranteed the legislature will revisit the bill and defund the board, placing us back into a position where the licensees will continually have to fund the board on their own. Pub. 1 Issue 3, 2022 9
I had the honor of representing the MFDA in Orlando, Florida, at the Leadership Conference, where I served as the MFDA State Association representative. I cast a ballot on behalf of our state for the At-large Representatives on the NFDA Board of Directors. There were a total of six candidates who stepped forward for this campaign. You probably have read the results by now on the NFDA email blasts. If not, the winners were: Mr. Bobby Steven Spann of Dickson, Tennessee, and Mr. Brad Walker of Payson, Utah. Bobby Spann has been a funeral director for over 40 years, and has served as President of Gupton College of Mortuary Service since 1994. MFDA State Association Representative Brad Walker has been a funeral director in Payson and Spanish Fork, Utah, for a number of years. He also taught at the Salt Lake Community College in the Mortuary Science Program. They both have been very active in their State Associations, and will do a great job on the Board of Directors for NFDA. Sincerely, Kyle Zimmerman 10 Montana Funeral Directors Association
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Encompasses Four Generations It all started in 1922 when Wilford F. Bell began working as an assistant at the Tucker Funeral Home in Malta. He wasn’t licensed yet, and Mr. Tucker wanted Wilford to get his training and license to practice in funeral service. So, in 1923, Wilford packed up his wife and daughter to head to San Bernardino, California. During the trip south, he had to overhaul his car’s motor in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the trip ended up taking a month. When the family finally arrived in San Bernardino, Wilford attended mortuary science school and worked for the City of San Bernardino. While in California, his son, Carl W. Bell, was born in August 1924. Wilford wasn’t even planning to go home to Malta, but Mr. Tucker requested he come back, and the family made the decision to move back in 1930. A few months later, Wilford moved one block south and opened the Bell Funeral Home in 1930. Ninety-two years ago, things were different. Motorized funeral processions were available, but horse-drawn wagon hearses were still being used. As in all of Montana, the population was much more rural, and funeral arrangements were often made in the homes of the people being served. It wasn’t until after World War II that it became much more common for everybody served to instead come to the funeral home. FEATURE Bell Family’s 85 Years 12 Montana Funeral Directors Association
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 Wilford was also active in farming, and he and his wife Kathryn ran a flower shop for many years, which helped financially support their endeavors. Wilford retired from funeral service in 1970; served as President of MFDA in 1971, and passed away in 1977. Throughout Montana, family funeral services have traditionally been very successful. The Bell Funeral Home was no exception. Carl W. “Bill” Bell helped his father in the funeral home from a very young age. After graduation in 1943, Bill Bell enlisted in the United States Navy and served in World War II on the USS Suwannee. After the war, he immediately headed for St. Louis, Missouri, where he completed his Mortuary Science training. He then returned to Malta to assist his dad at the Bell Funeral Home. Bill and his wife, Dorothy, had six children and the Malta Bell Funeral Home was doing about 50 calls per year – needless to say, they were very busy. In 1956, Bill moved his family to Glasgow, where he worked at the Peterson Funeral Home, one of two funeral homes in Glasgow at that time. In 1958, Bill and Ward Penland purchased the Peterson Funeral Home and began operating Glasgow’s one funeral home as Throughout Montana, family funeral services have traditionally been very successful. The Bell Funeral Home was no exception. Carl W. “Bill” Bell helped his father in the funeral home from a very young age. Pub. 1 Issue 3, 2022 13
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 the Penland-Bell Funeral Home. Buying out Ward in 1962, Bill then operated the business as Bell Mortuary. He was also active at this time in farming and was a crop sprayer for 30 years. Additionally, he owned a vault manufacturing company, and a cement trucking company as well. Bill was active with the Montana Aeronautics Division and served as President of the Montana State Chamber of Commerce from 1964 to 1965. Bill’s two sons, Steven C. Bell and W. Kent Bell, both worked at Bell Mortuary, following in their father’s – and grandfather’s – footsteps. And Bill’s daughters, Cherie, Kathy, Kari, and Jenny were the light of his life. He passed away in 2018. Marvin Edwards married Bill’s eldest daughter Cherie in 1966. They attended Northern Montana College and Marvin also worked at Bell Mortuary. He received his mortuary science training at Mount Hood in Portland in 1969 and 1970. He returned to Bell Mortuary and they purchased Eliason Funeral in Chinook in 1973. Marvin operated the renamed Edwards Funeral Home from 1973 to 2011, when he passed away. Marvin and Cherie’s daughter, Camia Edwards Savage, received her mortuary science training at the Simmons Mortuary Institute of Funeral Service in New York in 1997. She was active until Cherie sold Edwards Funeral Home in 2017. In 1974, Steven C. Bell completed his college career, attending Kemper Military Academy in Missouri, the University of Utah, Carroll College in Helena, and completed his mortuary training at Mount Hood in Portland. Steven operated the Bell Mortuary in Glasgow from 1974 till his retirement in 2015. Steve and his wife, Vickie, had three children. Brother Kent attended Carroll College and received his funeral home training at the University of Minnesota in 1976. He moved back to Glasgow in 1991 and worked with Steve until he retired in 2015. Kent and wife Kathy also had three children. Kent served as President of MFDA in 2009, and Steve served as President in 2013. Steve passed away in June of 2019. Kent’s oldest son, Brian Bell, attended Montana State University, graduating in 2000. He then received his mortuary science training at Mount Hood in Portland, graduating in 2002, and returned to Bell Mortuary. Brian and his wife, Victoria, have three children and live in Glasgow. It has been a privilege for the four generations of the Bell Family to be in funeral service these past 85 years, from 1930 to 2015. It has also been a great experience to work with the talented and wonderful people who comprise funeral service in Montana. ■ He moved back to Glasgow in 1991 and worked with Steve until he retired in 2015. Kent and wife Kathy also had three children. Kent served as President of MFDA in 2009, and Steve served as President in 2013. 14 Montana Funeral Directors Association
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Data Shows COVID-19 Impact on Funeral Service is Significant NFDA 2022 Cremation and Burial Report Shows Nearly Half of Members Now Offer Online Cremation Burial Arrangements with the Cremation Rate Across the Nation Expected to Exceed 50% by 2035 The long-lasting repercussions of COVID-19 are only just now being fully understood as data from the last two years becomes more widely accessible. Data from the 2022 Cremation and Burial Report, released by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), shows that one of the most notably impacted is the funeral service profession. COVID-19-related fatalities in the U.S. increased the total number of deaths by 543,000 in 2021; the pandemic is expected to cause an additional 289,000 deaths in 2022. The most significant impacts of the pandemic on funeral homes and services can be seen in the following areas: • Technology’s Pivotal Role in Memorial Services: A significant spike in demand was seen when 74.4% of funeral homes reported that the number of families they served increased, especially in large metropolitan areas. While some funeral homes already offered livestreaming services, since the onset of the pandemic, more than half of NFDA-member funeral homes began doing so to help families safely gather while adhering to By National Funeral Directors Association 16 Montana Funeral Directors Association
restrictions on public gatherings. Funeral homes are predicted to continue to expand this and other offerings – such as virtual funerals and an increasing array of options to meet the needs of families with diverse cultural and faith traditions – in the future. • Increase in Online Arrangements: 40% of NFDA funeral homes now offer online cremation arrangements; 28.2% plan to offer the ability to make cremation arrangements online within the next five years. NFDA’s 2022 Consumer Awareness & Preferences Report noted that while many more consumers are venturing online to plan a funeral or memorial service, more than half (53.7%) noted that even though they had a good experience, they still needed the assistance of a funeral director. Nearly 10% indicated they did not get the personalized service they would have received had they worked with a funeral director and just over 1% said planning online was impersonal and not a good experience for their family. • Crematory Ownership Up: With the annual number of cremations in the U.S. expected to rise from 1.91 million in 2022 to 2.26 million by 2030, and to 2.94 million by 2040, there has, in turn, been a growth in the number of funeral homes operating their own crematories. Approximately 39% of funeral homes in the country now operate their own crematories and another 12% plan to open their own within the next five years. The highest concentration of crematories in the U.S. are in the Southeast, Great Lakes, and mid-Atlantic regions where there tends to be a higher population density and a higher percentage of people 65 or older. • Labor Shortage: The employment rate for funeral service workers is expected to grow by 4% from 2020 to 2030, thus many firms anticipate hiring eligible workers to be a future challenge. As cremation becomes more socially accepted among the public, another factor contributing to it outnumbering traditional burials in the U.S. is the rise in the number of Americans who do not identify with a religion. Other factors at play include lower costs associated with cremation services, changing consumer preferences, weakening prohibitions, and environmental concerns. In 2021, NFDA member funeral homes reported that 41% of consumers chose a direct cremation, 35% chose cremation with memorial service, and 24% chose a casketed adult funeral with viewing and cremation. NFDA projects the cremation rate in all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. will exceed 50% by 2035. “Even though it’s been a couple of years since the onset of the pandemic, we are just now seeing the data that reflects the true impact and influence it has had on the way people memorialize and grieve their loved ones,” said NFDA President Randy Anderson, CFSP, COO. “As funeral directors, we are always here to assist and guide families in our communities to create an experience that they prefer, whether it’s blending familiar rituals with contemporary preferences, like cremation, or planning a traditional funeral and memorial service, to help them grieve and heal in the best way possible for them.” Throughout the pandemic years, funeral directors proved their ability time and time again to swiftly adapt as they worked tirelessly to serve their communities by finding new ways to help families meaningfully pay tribute to their loved ones. Whether families are looking to organize a traditional religious funeral or a more customized memorial, it can be difficult to know where to start. Answering questions at all stages of planning, Remembering A Life (www.RememberingALife.com), NFDA’s family outreach and education website, offers guidance on CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 “As funeral directors, we are always here to assist and guide families in our communities to create an experience that they prefer, whether it’s blending familiar rituals with contemporary preferences, like cremation, or planning a traditional funeral and memorial service, to help them grieve and heal in the best way possible for them.” Pub. 1 Issue 3, 2022 17
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 where to begin the planning process, the kinds of decisions that families can make, and the numerous options available to make a tribute both personal and meaningful. The site is designed to help people curious about their own affairs or those seeking answers following the death of a loved one. As the trusted leader and worldwide resource for the funeral service profession, NFDA lists the Remembering A Life website among their top resources providing helpful information about planning a meaningful service, as well as resources to help people understand their own and others’ grief and loss. Funeral service professionals should look for further coverage of the 2022 Cremation and Burial Report in upcoming issues of The Director magazine and Memorial Business Journal. NFDA members may download a complimentary copy of the 2022 Cremation & Burial Report via the NFDA Store, www.nfda.org/store (click the “Downloadable Products” category). Nonmembers may purchase the report for $175. ■ About the NFDA 2022 Cremation and Burial Report: The statistical projections contained in the 2022 NFDA Cremation and Burial Report were compiled by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Applied Population Laboratory Department of Community and Environmental Sociology. State-level deaths by “method of disposition” data were collected from state vital statistics departments or similar state regulatory agencies for 2002-2020. Other findings presented in the report are from proprietary NFDA research studies, such as the 2022 NFDA Consumer Awareness & Preferences Study. About National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA): NFDA is the world's leading and largest funeral service association, serving more than 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 countries worldwide. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics, and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities, and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, please call 800-228-6332 or visit www.nfda.org. federatedinsurance.com Commercial Insurance Property & Casualty Life & Disability Income | Workers Compensation Business Succession and Estate Planning | Bonding Federated Mutual Insurance Company and its subsidiaries* *Not licensed in all states. 20.11 Ed. 1/22 © 2020 Federated Mutual Insurance Company Proudly Serving America’s Finest Associations! 18 Montana Funeral Directors Association
Scholarship Recipients Katie Baca, Just Cremation Montana Leadership Scholarship Luke Foreman, Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service $5,000 Dennis Schoepp Scholarship Recipient The NFDA Leadership Conference was a fantastic opportunity to meet new people in funeral service and learn more about how our profession operates across the country. It was motivating to meet so many others who are also looking to develop their skills and the industry of funeral service as a whole. I was able to take part in some very interesting conversations centered around how best to adapt the profession to be more attractive to those newly entering the field, mainly young professionals who have recently graduated. It was great to hear the perspective of so many others and intriguing to learn more about the differences regionally within funeral service. I hope to continue this motivation here at home and be more involved in the funeral home and our state association. A huge thank you to the MFDA for the scholarship opportunity that allowed me to attend the conference! ■ Luke is a Bozeman native, graduating from Manhattan Christian High School in 2013 before moving to downtown Chicago where he received his bachelor's degree in Pastoral Studies from Moody Bible Institute. He is currently enrolled in the online mortuary science program at the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service with the goal of becoming a licensed funeral director. Luke is passionate about providing care and service to families during one of the most difficult seasons of life: the loss of a loved one. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his incredible wife, Tatjana, rock climbing, hiking, camping, fishing, and drinking coffee. ■ Pub. 1 Issue 3, 2022 19
Funeral Directors: Recording Usual Occupation and Industry on Death Certificates Funeral directors play a critical role in obtaining information researchers need to examine whether a person’s job could be related to their cause of death. The data may be used in public health prevention and intervention activities. To ensure the best data are collected, it is important to: 1) understand that occupation is different from industry, 2) collect usual occupation and corresponding industry, and 3) provide sufficient detail of the occupation and industry. If the occupation and industry information on a death certificate is incomplete or inaccurate, researchers will not be able to correctly identify links between a cause of death and a specific occupation or industry. Uses of Usual Occupation and Industry Information • Detect new illnesses or injuries occurring in relation to specific industries or occupations • Monitor known associations between job hazards and illnesses (e.g., Black Lung Disease, once thought to be on the decline within the coal industry, reemerged in 2019) • Calculate burden of illness for specific industries or occupations to prioritize research • Guide prevention efforts and more in-depth research on links between work and health Occupation Is Different From Industry Occupation is what the person did for a living or the type of job they had – usually, this is the job title. Examples include architects, registered nurses, computer programmers, medical laboratory technicians, elementary school teachers, and auto mechanics. Industry is the type of business or activity where the person worked. Industry pertains only to what the business does and not what the worker did at that business. Examples include a movie theater, an airline, a general hospital, a golf course, a high school, and a beer bottling facility. 20 Montana Funeral Directors Association
Usual Occupation Is the Longest-held Occupation Death certificates ask for USUAL occupation. Usual occupation is the job the person held for the longest amount of time. This may not be their most recent or current occupation or the one that paid the highest salary. The usual industry is the type of business associated with the usual occupation. Get the Best Occupation and Industry Information 1. Fill out the occupation and industry information for every decedent ever employed during their lifetime. If you determine they were never employed, please indicate “Never worked.” 2. Do not enter retired or disabled. • If a person was retired, that generally indicates they had an occupation at some point. Record the longest-held occupation and corresponding industry. • People who had a disability often still worked with their disability or had a job before the disability. If having a disability prevented them from ever having a job, please enter “Never Worked.” 3. It is better to ask what the decedent’s occupation was first and then ask their industry. This is because more people are familiar with a person’s job and may be confused about their industry. 4. If you get a vague answer, follow up with a prompt. • For occupation, ask, “What was their job title?” Or, if the response provided is still vague, such as “consultant,” ask, “What type of consultant were they?” • For industry, if given a vague answer such as “business” or “manufacturing,” ask, “What type of business was it?” or “What did their company do or make?” Even “healthcare” is not quite specific enough. Ask “What type of healthcare? A hospital? A doctor’s office? A dentist’s office?” 5. It is important to collect both occupation and industry. Job hazards for the same occupation can vary depending on the industry where a person worked. Please do your best to get both. ■ For more detailed information on collecting the best industry and occupation data, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2012149/default.html. Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health If the occupation and industry information on a death certificate is incomplete or inaccurate, researchers will not be able to correctly identify links between a cause of death and a specific occupation or industry. Pub. 1 Issue 3, 2022 21
Biden-Harris Administration Bolsters Monkeypox Response; HHS Secretary Becerra Declares Public Health Emergency U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra announced the ongoing spread of the monkeypox virus in the United States is a Public Health Emergency (PHE). This action further strengthens and accelerates the Biden-Harris Administration’s response in recognition of the continued rapid transmission of monkeypox in the U.S. and globally, and signals the seriousness and urgency with which the Administration is responding. The announcement comes on the heels of President Biden appointing Robert Fenton of the Federal Emergency Management Agency as White House National Monkeypox Response Coordinator and Dr. Demetre Daskalakis of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as White House National Monkeypox Response Deputy Coordinator. “Ending the monkeypox outbreak is a critical priority for the Biden-Harris Administration. We are taking our response to the next level by declaring a public health emergency,” said Secretary Becerra. “With (this) declaration, we can further strengthen and accelerate our response further.” “President Biden has called on us to explore every option on the table to combat the monkeypox outbreak and protect communities at risk,” said Response Coordinator Robert Fenton. “We are applying lessons learned from the battles we’ve fought – from COVID response to wildfires to measles, and will tackle this outbreak with the urgency this moment demands.” The PHE declaration is in concert with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) work to explore new strategies that could help get vaccines to affected communities across the country, including using a new dose-sparing approach that could increase the number of doses available up to five-fold. The public health emergency also carries important implications for data sharing with the federal government. Fifty-one jurisdictions have already signed data use agreements that will provide the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with information related to vaccine administration. Declaring the outbreak an emergency may provide the justification the remaining jurisdictions need to sign their agreements. Additionally, it provides By the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 22 Montana Funeral Directors Association
authority to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to collect testing and hospitalization data. As of the first week of August, HHS has shipped more than 602,000 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine to states and jurisdictions, an increase of 266,000 from prior weeks. HHS has allocated 1.1 million doses to states and jurisdictions and is making more available as jurisdictions use their current supply. HHS also announced it accelerated the delivery of an additional 150,000 doses to arrive in the U.S. next month. The doses, slated to arrive in November, will now arrive in the U.S. in September. These announcements are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s comprehensive strategy to combat the monkeypox outbreak. The strategy includes significantly scaling the production and availability of vaccines, expanding testing capacity and making testing more convenient, reducing burdens in accessing treatments, and conducting robust outreach to stakeholders and members of the LGBTQI+ communities. ■ If you are interested in: • Helping Others • The Human Biological Sciences • Community Involvement • A Business Environment Then a career in funeral service may be right for you! Funeral service professionals work with the bereaved during times of emotional need. These professional caregivers enable families and communities to express their emotions and help them to grieve properly. Looking for an awarding career? Offering up to $5,000 in scholarships for mortuary science schools. CONTACT ONE OF OUR MEMBER FIRMS OR MFDA TODAY! 406-449-7244 info@montanafda.org MONTANA’S ONLY FUNERAL PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION. MFDA Montana Funeral Directors Association UNLOCK THE HIDDEN VALUE IN POST-CREMATION METALS TO GET STARTED, CALL (800) 523-0968 OR EMAIL CREMATORY@GARFIELDREFINING.COM Pub. 1 Issue 3, 2022 23
By Alan D. Wolfelt, PhD., AfterTalk I often remind myself there is no love without loss. And there is no integration of loss without the experience of mourning. Our capacity to love requires the necessity to mourn. To deny the significance of mourning would be to believe there is something wrong with loving. Yet I truly believe our greatest gift from God is our capacity to give and receive love. Likewise, it is a great gift that we can openly mourn our life losses. You may have noticed that people use the words “grieving” and “mourning” interchangeably. There is a critical distinction, however. We as humans move toward integrating loss into our lives not just by grieving but by mourning. You will move toward “reconciliation” not just by grieving but through active and intentional mourning. So what is the distinction? Grief is the constellation of our internal thoughts and feelings when someone we love dies. Think of grief as the container. It holds your thoughts, feelings, and images of your experience when someone you love dies. In other words, grief is the internal meaning given to the experience of loss. Mourning is when you take the grief you have on the inside and express it outside yourself. Another way of defining mourning is “grief gone public” or “the outward expression of grief.” There is no one right or only way to mourn. Talking about the person who died, crying, expressing your thoughts and feelings through art or music, journaling, praying, and celebrating special anniversary dates that held meaning for the person who died are just a few examples of mourning. Making the choice not just to grieve but authentically mourn provides you with the courage and confidence to integrate the death of someone loved into your life. I have come to believe that to heal your grief, you must mourn it. To go on to ultimately “live well,” you must “mourn well.” By mourning well, I mean openly and honestly expressing your thoughts and feelings from the inside to the outside – no pretense, repression, or inhibitions. Somewhere in the collision between the heart – which searches for permanency and connection – and the brain – which acknowledges separation and loss – there is a need for us to authentically mourn. Authentic mourning means being consciously aware of the painful emotions of grief and feeling safe to express them. Grieving vs. Mourning People tend to use the two words interchangeably. But there is a crucial distinction. 24 Montana Funeral Directors Association
Herein lies the paradox – a wide range of instinctive responses occur, but you get to decide as your grief unfolds into mourning if you will truly experience these responses or instead inhibit, suppress, or deny them. Actually, befriending such emotions makes it possible to eventually experience a sense of renewed meaning and purpose in your life. Yet the emotions you sometimes most want to avoid are the ones most in need of attending. Being consciously aware of your need to mourn does not mean you are “feeling sorry for yourself” or wallowing in your pain. However, authentic mourning allows you to accept and experience the natural rhythms accompanying the journey. Authentic mourning is anchored in making the conscious choice to allow yourself to mourn, to recognize that darkness sometimes precedes light, and to seek healing, repair, and transformation of your very being. Of course, there are many reasons you might choose to grieve and not mourn. Your pain may seem intolerable. Since mourning won’t bring back your lost love, you may rationally try to “put it behind you.” After all, you tell yourself, mourning won’t bring the person back. People around you often think they are helping when they say things like “carry on,” “keep your chin up,” and “keep busy.” Or you may feel that if you don’t overcome the loss, you are not living up to your testimony of faith that you have tried to live by. No doubt, some people – or maybe you – may suggest that sufficient time has passed and you should be “done” or ‘finished” with your grief and mourning. Perhaps as a child or teen, you were taught in your family not to grieve in front of others. Some people have shared with me they fear they will “go crazy” if they allow themselves to encounter their grief. Or perhaps you have decided to deny or repress your grief because you believe it interferes with your ability to function at work and/or at home. These potential reasons and many more are often rooted in a reluctance to feel the pain of loss and a general attitude toward grief in our “mourning-avoidant” culture. There is a widespread lack of understanding about how to befriend painful grief energies and use those energies for healing and transformation. The opposite of befriending pain and allowing ourselves to mourn is control. Underneath the controlling impulse is the fear that we will experience painful feelings. As grief enters our lives, many of us have been taught that giving these feelings to the truth, that mourning is a natural extension of attention, and is a sign of weakness or breakdown. Many people try to head part of the natural order of life. Many people try to head off losses in the first place by controlling. After all, you don’t have to grieve and mourn if everything comes out your way. I believe we control our grief because we are afraid of the emotions that grief brings our way. We don’t like being overcome by the waves of grief and sorrow. We don’t like “losing control.” And until we realize there is a natural, normal mourning experience that can result in meaningful transformation, we have little awareness of the need to experience the pain we call grief. In addition, the emotions of grief are often referred to as “negative,” as if they are inherently bad feelings. This judgment feeds our culture’s attitude that these emotions should be denied or overcome. Married to this observed truth is the reality that society gives us little permission to mourn openly. We realize the better we appear to be coping, the easier it is for people to be around us. So, unfortunately, multiple forces are working against your organic instinct to mourn in the face of loss. The choice to experience and express your grief to its fullest can be difficult in our mourning-avoidant culture. Yet no matter how difficult, if you choose to authentically mourn in ways unique to your being, you will have begun to return to life, to living, and to loving! If you come to embrace the truth that mourning is a natural extension of loving, you will come to see mourning as part of the natural order of life. So, each day, ask yourself this critical question: “Will I grieve this loss, or will I mourn this loss?” Having the courage to mourn can breathe life back into your divine spark. Choosing to mourn authentically can and will help you experience a time of release and renewal. Of course, this does not mean your journey is over and done, but it does mean you are empowering yourself. To empower means to give or add power, to propel. When you empower yourself through mourning, you will begin to feel a gentle strength running through your body and soul. Yes, asking and answering this critical question can help empower you. ■ To learn more about online grief support, please visit www.aftertalk.com. Pub. 1 Issue 3, 2022 25
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