Every person, regardless of their background, race, gender, ability or disability, has the right to have their grief acknowledged with the time, support and opportunity to express their thoughts, feelings and emotions. For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, appropriate grief support resources and intentional, compassionate strategies can make a positive difference.  
This panel discussion will explore these resources, strategies and the impact of grief and loss on children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Participants will hear from both the professional and family perspective about the developmental considerations impacting the grieving experiences for people with developmental disabilities and learn strategies for inclusive grief support.

​Learning Objectives

• Explore the impact of grief and loss on individuals with developmental disabilities

• Professional and family perspectives about the developmental considerations impacting the grieving experiences for individuals with developmental disabilities

• Discuss strategies for inclusive grief support and learn from the family perspective

​Panelists:

Arlen Gaines, LCSW-C, APHSW-C, is the Director of Social Services, JSSA Hospice, where she supervises the social work, chaplaincy, volunteer and bereavement departments. Arlen is the co-author of the award-winning "I Have a Question" series, which addresses complicated topics for children, inclusive of kids with special needs. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Palliative Care through the University of Maryland, Baltimore with a research interest in the impact of grief on children with developmental disabilities.

 Gilly Cannon, CaringMatters, Director of Children's Bereavement Services, has three decades of experience in education, counseling, community work and volunteer management in schools and hospice. Gilly directs the Good Grief Club Program, a peer support program for grieving students across grades K-12. She also advises schools after the death of a school community member and is a grief resource for families, school principals and counselors, pediatricians, social workers and other allied professionals. Gilly facilitates groups as needed for grieving parents and teachers after a school community loss. 

 Eva Cowen, CaringMatters, Director, Camp Erin, has dedicated her 35 year career to creating opportunities for people with a full range of disabilities to fully participate in all aspects of life.  For over 20 years, she served as the Director of Inclusion at the Bender Jewish Community Center in Rockville, Maryland, where she coordinated and oversaw the inclusion of people with disabilities into all Center programs and activities. For 37 consecutive summers she has been a member of leadership team of Camp JCC, supervising the inclusion of campers with disabilities into camp and running the summer program for teens and young adults with multiple disabilities. From the personal perspective, Eva has a close relationship with her older brother, Roger, who has intellectual and developmental disabilities and lives in a group home. 

​Maria Alvarez, CaringMatters, Office Manager/Administrative Volunteer Coordinator, brings deep personal experience to this discussion and this topic. Her daughter, Angela, who had intellectual and developmental disabilities, passed away several years ago. Maria has supported her son, Eduardo, who also has intellectual and developmental disabilities, through his grief over the loss of his beloved sister.