By Karla McArthur, Education Correspondent
According to Dr. Alan Wolfelt, children coping with loss are often called “the forgotten mourners,” said Ryan Smothers, who helps lead grief support services for Shepherd’s Cove. Addressing that need is a priority for the organization, which extends beyond its hospice care.
“When people think of Shepherd’s Cove, they think of a hospice facility, which is accurate but not the complete picture,” Smothers said. “They don’t necessarily connect the grief support with the hospice services.”
The nonprofit’s hospice facility serves nine counties, but its in-school bereavement program currently reaches only four. Portions of Etowah County are included, allowing counselors to support students at several schools, including West End, Duck Springs, Highland, Sardis-area campuses and Attalla City schools. Smothers said the goal is to expand as more staff are added.
A team of four social workers provides monthly counseling for students in grades K-12 who have experienced a loss. The loss does not have to be recent.
“We operate under the precept that grief doesn’t have a timeline,” Smothers said.
Referrals typically come through school counselors. In addition to bereavement support, Shepherd’s Cove also offers pre-bereavement services, designed to help children understand what to expect and prepare for future loss.
Smothers said the organization considers itself a “Mother Ship,” with branches that include home care, facility-based hospice, in-school counseling and a foundation supported by its thrift store. Store proceeds help cover costs for families without insurance.
“Our motto is, ‘Never say no, say how can we?’” Smothers said.
He added that families often assume grief support is only available if their loved one received care at Shepherd’s Cove, but the services are open to anyone in the communities they service.
Shepherd’s Cove has recently expanded its grief support services to an off-site facility, offering families a neutral space away from the hospice’s in-patient center.
“For many, visiting the main facility can be a painful reminder,” said Smothers. The new Brook Center location removes that barrier and allows the team to continue counseling in a more comfortable setting.
The center provides small-group and individual counseling for students ages 5 to 18, and support services for parents. The goal is to give families the tools to process and manage grief together.
Smothers said he and his colleagues served 65 schools and 329 students last year. “My goal as the In-School Bereavement Coordinator is to see this program expand,” said Smothers, who strives for peer-to-peer support with his groups. “We’re literally facilitating a conversation, to let these kids know they’re not alone.”
The support team aims to focus on a different topic each month, though sessions are often guided by the needs of the group, said Smothers.
The monthly grief support program culminates with Camp HOPE, a one-day event where students gather for outdoor activities and connect with peers who are also coping with loss.
Smothers and some of his colleagues have recently launched Shepherd’s Cove Clinical Counseling, which is a billable counseling service. This opens the door for their team to counsel topics beyond grief. “We recognize where there’s grief, there is trauma,” said Smothers.
The Shepherd’s Cove team recently hosted an event at City Harbor to give back to school counselors and mental health personnel who support their program.
Smothers said the gathering was designed to provide resources and tools for ongoing mental health support, and offer counselors an opportunity for self-care.
The best way to refer a student for bereavement support through Shepherd’s Cove is to speak with your school counselor. For more information about the services offered through the in-school bereavement program, contact Ryan Smothers at (256) 891-7724 or email Stacey Johnson at sjohnson@hospicemc.org.
