COMMUNITY DEATHCARE PROVIDER (CDP) TRAINING
WHY are we offering this training?
​Even in hospice care, the day-to-day caregiving of the dying is done by family and close friends and, frankly, it’s too big a job for grieving people to do alone. In times past, deathcare was community care. Community members stepped in to give the caregivers a break. As deathcare has been professionalized, we’ve been taught that all aspects of deathcare must be delivered by professionals. That is simply not true.
CDP training helps anyone feel confident and competent to offer non-medical supportive care to community members through the dying process
WHAT is it?
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Training for anyone who is already working with dying people and their families, and wants to know more about the laws and cultural considerations that impact deathcare in Louisiana
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Training for anyone who has not worked with dying people/families but wants to feel confident offering care/support/help to caregivers in their family and/or community.
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CDP training is NOT Death Doula training, although there is some overlap, and death doulas may find the local- and state-specific information helpful. This program doesn’t prepare you to start a business.
WHEN and WHERE is it?
September 5-7, 2025 at Propeller, 4035 Washington Avenue, New Orleans, LA
What is COVERED?
Friday, September 5, 5-8pm:
Introductions, Overview & Agreements
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Who are you?
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What do you already know? (You might be surprised)​
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Death literacy:
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Why don’t we talk about it?
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Why should we?
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What might change if we do?
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What is Deathwork?
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It's complicated
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Your basic tools in this work
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Saturday, September 6, 10am – 1pm:
All About Death
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The American (U.S.) Way of Death:
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History of deathcare in the US
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The Funeral Rule
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Funeral care in the South (U.S.)
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Current trends in funeral care
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Deathcare in New Orleans:
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Local cultural practices & death ways
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Saturday, September 6, 2-5pm:
The Dying Process​
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Preparation
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Advance planning
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Hospice
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The natural process of death in the body
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What to expect
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Sitting vigil
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Basic body care
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Boundaries & safety
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Vigil sitting
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Sunday, September 7, 10am – 1pm:
Death: The Bright Red Line
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Gaps in continuity of care
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Disposition navigation: funeral homes
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Crowdfunding
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Resources
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Disposition navigation: cemeteries
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Green burial
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Crisis of affordable burial
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Indigent burial
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Sunday September 7, 2-5pm:
Grief & Integration​
- Professional services vs. showing up as a human
- Complicated grief
- Disenfranchised grief
- What does community deathcare look like in New Orleans?
- Dream big!
- Evaluation & next steps​​​
What does it COST?
At this time, the training is offered for free through the generosity of community donations. Donations are welcome to keep the training sustainable.
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NOTE: Class size is limited, and preference will be given to providers who reflect the demographics and lived experience of the community we serve. Native New Orleanians
