HUGS

Peer companion bedside bereavement support.
HUGS Volunteers:
  • Have all personally experienced either miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death.
  • Have previous or active involvement in a local support group. 
  • Are at least 2 years since their most recent loss for bedside volunteers. 
  • Are at least 1 year since their most recent loss for community volunteers.
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HUGS Volunteers are contacted by clinic and hospital staff when a family is experiencing a loss. They can assist nursing staff by providing companionship for families, answering questions, and assisting nurses with creating keepsakes. 
"The HUGS Program and dedicated volunteers help to ensure every patient and family that is experiencing a loss has the comprehensive and ongoing support that is needed. Our HUGS Volunteers give so much of themselves and help to fill the gap of what the OB Nursing staff cannot fully provide following discharge.
​We feel blessed to have the HUGS Volunteers as partners in this special care of women and families here at SSM Health St Mary’s Hospital Madison."

Robbie Sonnentag, BSN, MSOLQ
Administrative Director Women's & Children's Services at SSM Health St. Mary's - Madison
In addition to emotional support, answering questions, and creating keepsakes, our HUGS volunteers present the families with hand-picked keepsakes from Bereaved Parents of Madison, Inc.   
A worry stone for dad (mom or partner if they prefer.) Because some parents grieve more privately.
A book for the family to read to their little one(s). Because this time is precious and short.
A bracelet for mom. Generously donated by Hudson's Bands of Hope. 

HUGS Volunteers!

Volunteer On-boarding:
  • Volunteers will attend a full one day training on bedside bereavement on February 6, 2016. Training will be conducted by local professionals as well as HUGS program developers and volunteers.
  • Our HUGS volunteers are currently deep in the process of getting on board as hospital volunteers at Meriter Hospital and St Mary's Hospital in Madison, WI. All HUGS volunteers will be volunteers at either or both hospitals and receive training on HIPAA.
  • All volunteers are required to participate in a 4 hour RTS (Resolve Through Sharing) class through St Mary's Hospital.
  • All volunteers completed a Letter of Intent as the application process.
  • All HUGS volunteers interviewed with the HUGS Planning Committee that includes: members of the Bereaved Parents Of Madison Inc Board of Directors and members from both Meriter and St Mary's perinatal bereavement teams.  
History:
In the Fall of 2014, leadership from the Bereaved Parents of Madison, Inc. began to work with teams at St Mary's and Meriter Hospitals to develop a program to proactively support families that are saying goodbye to their babies through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death.  The result of all of our planning has brought us to where we are today in the preparation of the launch of bereavement companions for our HUGS program.

BPoM Board of Directors participated in RTS training at St Marys in May 2015.

Brandi Hoesly (St Mary's NICU) 
Jen Pepoy (BPoM Secretary)
Claire Matejka (BPoM President)
Emily Grorud (BPoM Treasurer)
Amy Helt (St Mary's L&D) 
Melva Bishop (St Mary's Pastoral Care)
(left to right)

HUGS Coordinators

Our three HUGS Coordinators are on-call to answer the phone: 920-643-0217.
Calls are answered during waking hours. The coordinators rotate on-call duties.

During their service, coordinators:
  1. Answer or return calls for HUGS support. They will learn information about the family.
  2. The coordinator will text "I need a HUG" to eligible volunteers.
  3. Once a volunteer is confirmed, they will communicate the family information to the volunteer and the volunteer information to the hospital.
  4. Coordinators will debrief with volunteers after bedside visits.​​
Claire, Emily, and Sam.