Bereavement Counselor Job Description
Bereavement counselor
provides bereavement services to individuals which include assessments, treatment plans, information and resources, grief education, crisis intervention, bereavement counseling and support group facilitation.
Bereavement Counselor Duties & Responsibilities
To write an effective bereavement counselor job description, begin by listing detailed duties, responsibilities and expectations. We have included bereavement counselor job description templates that you can modify and use.
Sample responsibilities for this position include:
Act as a liaison with existing community resources regarding grief and bereavement
Completes suicide lethality assessments and initiates a safety plan per policy
Participate in bereavement care before and after patient's death, taking action and providing follow-up as necessary by the Plan of Care
Facilitate support groups for bereaved family members and community members
Facilitate agency and community programs on grief and bereavement
Participate in Hospice team meetings and provide information, knowledge, and support regarding grief and loss issues and/or bereavement care
Function as part of the Hospice Bereavement Team to provide individual, group and family counseling services to children, teens, adults and families impacted by significant loss
Provide clinical expertise and oversight for the planning and implementation of Camp Erin, by completing assessments of grieving children and families and designing camp activities to meet the complex needs of grieving children at a wide range of developmental levels
Serve as a consultant and educator to the hospice team to meet the needs of our hospice patients and their families when children are impacted by loss
Performs psychosocial assessments and develops care plans based on assessed risk
Bereavement Counselor Qualifications
Qualifications for a job description may include education, certification, and experience.
Licensing or Certifications for Bereavement Counselor
List any licenses or certifications required by the position: CPR, BCLS
Education for Bereavement Counselor
Typically a job would require a certain level of education.
Employers hiring for the bereavement counselor job most commonly would prefer for their future employee to have a relevant degree such as Master's and Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Education, Psychology, Health, Divinity, Behavioral Science, Theology, Seminary, Pastoral Ministry
Skills for Bereavement Counselor
Desired skills for bereavement counselor include:
Accrediting bodies
Community resources available to bereaved persons
Medicare
State and all other regulations applicable to Bereavement programs
Community resources
Dynamics of terminal illness
Grief and bereavement are essential
Chronic illnesses
DNV
Family and group treatment
Desired experience for bereavement counselor includes:
Ability to type and use word processing software
Demonstrated skill in leading groups and teams
Demonstrated skill in public speaking
Ability to participate collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team
Well-developed peer mentoring and development skills
Ability to mentor clinicians and volunteers in the provision of quality psychosocial care in their daily practice
Bereavement Counselor Examples
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Bereavement Counselor Job Description
Job Description Example
Our company is searching for experienced candidates for the position of bereavement counselor. Thank you in advance for taking a look at the list of responsibilities and qualifications. We look forward to reviewing your resume.
Responsibilities for bereavement counselor
- Refers for ongoing services, if indicated
- Participates in Bereavement Support program development, expansion and refinement through ongoing evaluation of services
- Provide individual and family grief support and counseling
- Co-facilitates the bereavement program’s support groups as needed
- Be responsible for the bereavement program components and training associated with Camp Erin, as assigned
- Participate in community education to promote understanding of grief and issues of bereavement
- Establish and promote positive working relationships both within the team, agency and organization
- Participate in relevant education activities to improve job knowledge and to promote professional growth
- Provide bereavement support through initial and follow up phone calls and mailings
- Provide grief counseling for individuals and families during bereavement as identified on the bereavement Plan of Care
Qualifications for bereavement counselor
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with team members, volunteers and general public
- Excellent listening, documentation and record keeping skills
- Ability to document clinical care clearly and concisely using a laptop computer
- Ability to provide quality counseling services for patients/families at end of life with respect and sensitivity to individual beliefs, coping mechanisms, goals
- Ability to meet department visit productivity requirements
- Minimum one (1) year of providing bereavement or social work support
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Bereavement Counselor Job Description
Job Description Example
Our company is searching for experienced candidates for the position of bereavement counselor. If you are looking for an exciting place to work, please take a look at the list of qualifications below.
Responsibilities for bereavement counselor
- Assist with the writing, processing and sending of bereavement letters and invitations to events sponsored by Fairview Hospice Bereavement Services
- Work with Hospice Program Services Manager to update the Fairview grief resources website
- Participate in hospice IDT as assigned to assess initial bereavement needs and establish initial Plan of Care
- Participate in hospice staff meetings and clinical case conferences as appropriate
- Works with Hospice team members and a team of Bereavement Dept
- Utilizes clinical skills to assess client needs
- Participates in innovative programs including Wave Riders and Camp Erin Albany
- Receives individual and peer supervision
- Participate in bereavement care after the patient's death, taking action and providing follow-up as necessary by the Plan of Care
- Offer family counseling, including cognitive behavioral skills training to facilitate effective coping with anticipatory grief or bereavement
Qualifications for bereavement counselor
- LCSW with three (3) years of hospice experience including bereavement/grief counseling
- Knowledge of the most current trends in bereavement counseling, grief and bereavement counseling with hospice families, general principles of supervision and program development and work organization skills
- Clinical knowledge base and experience providing direct counseling services for children, adolescents, adult and geriatric populations
- Spanish, bi-lingual skills desirable
- Knowledge and understanding of grief and loss theory, assessment sills group, family and individual intervention modalities
- Ability to use database programs
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Bereavement Counselor Job Description
Job Description Example
Our innovative and growing company is searching for experienced candidates for the position of bereavement counselor. Please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications. While this is our ideal list, we will consider candidates that do not necessarily have all of the qualifications, but have sufficient experience and talent.
Responsibilities for bereavement counselor
- Arrange referrals to appropriate community services and resources in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team
- Open and flexible to the changing needs of the clients and program
- Provide coordinated patient care in an interdisciplinary hospice setting
- Asses the emotional status of the patient/survivors
- Develop and implement a patient goal oriented plan of care as a member of the clinical IDG
- Assist and implement a survivor goal oriented plan of care for bereavement issues
- Develop, maintain, and contact as necessary, a resource group of clergy to whom specific aspects of spiritual care may be delegated
- Conduct intake interviews to appropriately place individuals in support groups
- Counsel and/or refer individuals to outside Clinicians, as appropriate
- Document sessions and interventions
Qualifications for bereavement counselor
- Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, mental health counseling or a related field
- Two years professional experience with grief, loss and/or related issues
- Demonstrated experience in group process
- Experience working with Outlook, Word, and Excel
- Two years hospice bereavement counseling experience
- Master’s degree in social work, psychology, mental health counseling or a related field
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Bereavement Counselor Job Description
Job Description Example
Our growing company is looking for a bereavement counselor. Thank you in advance for taking a look at the list of responsibilities and qualifications. We look forward to reviewing your resume.
Responsibilities for bereavement counselor
- Maintain data records for individuals attending Bereavement programs
- Comply with appropriate policies and procedures and brings potential compliance matters to supervisor or Compliance Officer
- Collaborate with the patient, family, and staff member in developing, implementing, and revising a plan of care within regulatory timeframe
- Insures that assessments are completed and documented within regulatory timeframe
- Maintains and submits productivity as requested
- Shows competency in assessing spiritual identity, spiritual health, and grief and establishing interventions appropriate to individual need
- Presents education programs about the Hospice and Palliative Care programs through various civic groups, community seminars, and support groups
- Acts as a liaison between Hospice, Palliative Care and the religious and secular communities
- Provides bereavement support as needed and counseling as needed
- Facilitates support groups and other bereavement services as assigned
Qualifications for bereavement counselor
- Certification in Bereavement Counseling The Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) or The American Academy of Grief Counseling
- Free of physical and mental disabilities, which would interfere with the ability to independently deliver counseling to patients/families/caregivers in their place of residence
- Visual, auditory, and tactile acuity sufficient to make complete and accurate assessments
- Master's Degree in counseling, psychology, social work or theological studies/pastoral ministry
- Three (3) years post master's work experience
- One year experience in health care setting is required
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Bereavement Counselor Job Description
Job Description Example
Our growing company is looking to fill the role of bereavement counselor. Please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications. While this is our ideal list, we will consider candidates that do not necessarily have all of the qualifications, but have sufficient experience and talent.
Responsibilities for bereavement counselor
- Assists with developing, acquiring, and utilizing resources for bereavement support of families and persons that are hospice connected primarily and in the community as directed by Leadership
- Facilitates pre-funeral arrangements as requested
- Officiates / assists with funerals and memorial services as requested
- Participates in inter-disciplinary conferences and staff meetings
- Assists with Hospice Palliative fellow program as assigned
- Attends weekly team meetings as a member of the interdisciplinary team
- Monitors assessment for bereavement risk of the primary bereaved family member(s) from time of admission
- Provides appropriate support prior to the patient’s death as per Interdisciplinary team (IDT)request
- Educates IDT regarding anticipatory grief and mourning
- Completes assessment of primary bereaved family member(s) at time of death of the patient
Qualifications for bereavement counselor
- Current Counseling Certification or License through Washington State Department of Health
- Has an understanding of the field of Thanatology and bereavement and demonstrates the ability to apply this in their practice
- Master’s degree in Social Work or related field with experience in clinical counseling required
- More than one year experience working in interdisciplinary teams preferred
- Master's degree in Social Work or Counseling is required
- Previous experience required, preferably in bereavement setting