N.S. to establish new grief, bereavement and emotional wellness services stemming from MCC recommendations

TRURO, N.S. — A new grief, bereavement and emotional wellness service will launch in two Nova Scotia regions most devastated by the tragic April 2022 mass casualty event.

A service model designed by the Nova Scotia Hospice Palliative Care Association (NSHPCA) — in collaboration with government, health authority and communities — will debut in the Colchester-East Hants area and Cumberland County this year, with provincewide expansion to follow in 2025.

“The Mass Casualty Commission’s final report talked about the need for more grief and bereavement services in our communities,” Brian Comer, minister of addictions and mental health, stated in a press release.

“This approach allows us to tap into the considerable expertise that exists in our communities. As the hub organization, NSHPCA will work directly with partners to ensure supports are offered closer to home and are responsive to the needs of the people, families and communities now and into the future.”

The government has committed two-year funding valued at $2.3 million, which comes from the $18 million announced by the province in Ottawa last spring to address Mass Casualty Commission recommendations.

“Grief touches all of us throughout our lives. There is no endpoint to grief. No linear path. As a partner with the Government of Nova Scotia and local communities, we will work to help Nova Scotians build a new reality of purpose and meaning while they grieve,” said NSHPCA president Ann Cosgrove.