Comparing Two Support Programs for Parents After Their Childs Unexpected or Traumatic Death

What this Trial Is About

This trial studies parents or caregivers grieving the traumatic or unexpected death of a child under 25 years old. It compares two approaches to support these bereaved parents after their loss, addressing a gap in medical examiner or coroner ME services who often have limited training in helping grieving families. The goal is to find effective ways to connect parents to grief resources and improve their mental and physical health during this difficult time. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two interventions managed by Missing Pieces, a community-based organization helping families find grief support. The first intervention, CommunityRx-Bereavement CRx-B, offers personalized support with a Grief Navigator who contacts parents by phone or text, provides tailored grief resources, and maintains contact over 12 months. The second intervention, General Bereavement Support Information GBSI, sends parents general grief resource links via unidirectional text messages at multiple times after the childs death. Parents complete surveys about 6.5 months after their childs death to evaluate outcomes like their confidence in finding resources and experiences of complicated grief. The study monitors how well these interventions support parents over time, with the trial running from 2024 to early 2028. Participants are involved through referrals from medical examiners or coroners and ongoing communication from Missing Pieces, aiming to improve bereavement care systems.

The Grief Navigation Trial: A Comparison of Two Interventions to Support Parents After Their Child's Unexpected or Traumatic Death