OLIVIA'S HOUSE - A GRIEF AND LOSS CENTER FOR CHILDREN

OLIVIA'S HOUSE FACILITATES HEALING THROUGH GRIEF AND LOSS EDUCATION BY PROVIDING NO-COST SERVICES SUCH AS: INDIVIDUALIZED BEREAVEMENT ASSESSMENTS, EDUCATIONAL PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN AND THEIR CAREGIVERS, INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY GRIEF COUNSELING REFERRALS TO QUALIFIED TRAUMA PROFESSIONALS, GRIEF INSERVICE TRAININGS, PRE-DEATH SUPPORT SERVICES, PET LOSS SUPPORT SERVICES, SOCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR PROGRAM ALUMNI, AND A LENDING LIBRARY CONTAINING RESOURCES ON GRIEF AND LOSS. IN 2024, WE CONNECTED WITH 4,686 GRIEVING FAMILIES LOOKING FOR SUPPORT, AND OUR CLINICAL DIRECTOR HELD 181 INDIVIDUALIZED BEREAVEMENT ASSESSMENTS. VIA OUR INPERSON, VIRTUAL, AND HYBRID PROGRAM MODELS, 53 PARTICIPANTS WERE SERVED THROUGH 23 WEEKS OF EDUCATIONAL PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS, CALLED HEARTS CAN HEAL AND LITTLE ONES. 12 PARTICIPANTS WERE SERVED THROUGH 4 WEEKS OF OPEN-ENDED SUPPORT THROUGH OUR NEWEST VENTURE, OLIVIAS HOUSE GAME NIGHT. THE WINGS PROGRAM PROVIDES SOCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR PROGRAM ALUMNI. HOSTING 5 WINGS ACTIVITIES IN 2024, WE SERVED APPROXIMATELY 223 PARTICIPANTS. THROUGH A SCHOLARSHIP GRANT FROM THE WOMENS NETWORK OF YORK, OLIVIAS HOUSE CREATED AN AFTER-CARE PROGRAM FOR BEREAVED WOMEN CALLED TAKE A BREATH. IN 2024, 10 WOMEN WERE SELECTED AS PART OF THIS SELF-CARE THEMED INITIATIVE. AFTER MANY YEARS OF PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO GUIDE CHILDREN IN A HEALTHY EXPRESSION OF THEIR ANGER AND PAIN, OLIVIA'S HOUSE FOUND THAT WITHOUT ASSESSMENT FOR TRAUMA AND APPROPRIATE ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY REFERRALS, CHILDREN OFTEN FAILED TO USE POSITIVE COPING SKILLS. TRAUMA REFERRALS COUPLED WITH THE EDUCATIONAL PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS HAVE PROVEN TO BE MORE THAN EFFECTIVE. OLIVIA'S HOUSE PROVIDES REFERRAL SERVICES TO COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING ORGANIZATIONS WHEN NECESSARY. IN 2024, 170 REFERRALS WERE MADE AND, IN AN EFFORT TO HELP TO OFF-SET INDIVIDUAL COSTS TO THE FAMILIES, OLIVIA'S HOUSE PROVIDED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO 22 PARTICIPANTS. WHEN CLIENTS' NEEDS ARE PURELY OF A BEREAVEMENT NATURE, THE CLINICAL TEAM AT OLIVIA'S HOUSE HAS BEGUN OFFERING LIMITED INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT "IN HOUSE. IN 2024, OLIVIAS HOUSE PROVIDED NO COST IN HOUSE THERAPEUTIC SESSIONS FOR 7 FAMILIES. IN ADDITION, OLIVIA'S HOUSE CONTINUES TO GROW ITS GRIEF AND LOSS LENDING LIBRARY. NEW RESOURCES ARE ADDED REGULARLY AS A RESULT OF THE COMMUNITIES' CONTINUAL USE. IN 2024, 588 DIFFERENT GRIEF RELATED RESOURCES, JOURNALS AND WORKBOOKS WERE UTILIZED BY THE PUBLIC. BECAUSE OF OUR LONG-STANDING IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY, OLIVIA'S HOUSE IS CHERISHED BY THE FAMILIES OF SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND NORTHERN MARYLAND. IT CONTINUES TO BE A "MENTOR CENTER," PROVIDING GUIDANCE AND WISDOM FOR ANY COMMUNITY WISHING TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN CHILDREN'S GRIEF SUPPORT SERVICES.