Bo's Place

We strive to provide grief support to all who seek it, regardless of geographic location or socioeconomic status, by providing timely access to trauma- and bereavement-informed programs and resources. We do this by identifying and addressing gaps in and barriers to grief support services and increasing awareness of the need for grief support and the services we offer, especially in high-need communities. We offer programs online and in person, in English and Spanish, at no cost to the bereaved. All programs are research and trauma-informed and overseen by licensed mental health professionals, including bilingual clinicians, and aim to give participants healthy coping skills and stronger support systems for grief and future challenges. Program areas include an Information and Referral Line, Grief Support Groups, Special Programs for Support Group Participants, Community Education and Training, and Awareness and Outreach. We have established measurable goals in each of our program areas and report progress toward these goals to the Board of Directors monthly.

Key strategies for increasing access to grief services for our community in FY2022-2023 include:
- Increase the number and diversity of clinical staff, especially bilingual clinicians
- Increase the number of support group options, including in-person options, with the goal of eliminating all waitlists.
- Recruit and train volunteers to facilitate additional in-person support groups.
- Increase the number of schools and students served in our School-Based Grief Support program, including through the distribution of Healing Hearts Grief Resource book bags, with a focus on Title I schools with economically underserved and/or majority Hispanic/Latino populations, and when possible, areas hard hit by COVID-19.
- Ensure 90% of adult and student participants in support groups surveyed report gaining healthy coping mechanisms for grief.
- Build capacity in grief support in the community through workshops and trainings on grief and bereavement; increase participation by offering workshops free of charge to some participants.
- Increase inquiries and support group participation from residents of Fort Bend /West Houston and the Hispanic/Latino community through outreach efforts and community partnerships.
- Increase outreach efforts in Fort Bend/West Houston, the Hispanic/Latino community, and the African American community, as well as through a social media campaign during Children's Grief Awareness Month.
- Work with Judi's House/JAG Institute to refine existing data collection and measurement tools and identify new tools to measure program effectiveness.

Bo's Place is Houston's premier bereavement center, serving more than 6,000 people annually through our grief support and education programs. Our organization has worked in the Houston community for more than 30 years and has strong and expanding partnerships with other non-profits working in mental health and human services, school districts, and grief support centers. We have deep ties to Houston's philanthropic community and are funded through a combination of corporate, foundation, and individual donations, including through three special events annually.

We are nationally recognized through our work with the National Alliance for Children's Grief and are part of a national network of grief support centers. We meet the National Alliance for Children's Grief Standards of Practice of Organizations Providing Bereavement Support Services or Counseling for Children's Grief. We also meet the Better Business Standards for Charity Accountability.

We employ 22 staff members, including ten licensed mental health professionals, three of whom are bilingual. Clinicians develop and oversee all grief support and education programs using the latest research in trauma and bereavement. In addition to our staff, we engage volunteers to facilitate support groups, serve meals to support group participants, staff camps and retreats, complete special projects, and help with community outreach. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Bo's Place engaged approximately 500 volunteers each year, and we anticipate that our numbers will return to that level.

Our Board of Directors is comprised of 30 leaders from different sectors of the community, including finance, law, medicine, non-profit, marketing, mental health education, and academia, as well as former Bo's Place volunteer facilitators. Many board members have their own grief stories and personal experiences with Bo's Place. Each fiscal year, 100% of board members give financially. In addition to attending monthly meetings of the full board, board members serve on at least one committee. The committees help identify, support, and implement the organization's strategic initiatives and responsibilities in four key areas, development, outreach, program, and finance. In addition, committee chairs serve on the Executive Committee with the board leadership.

Bo’s Place has achieved the following progress toward our goals for FY2021-2022 (July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022):
1. Clinicians responded to 4,424 inquiries to the I&R Line (compared to 4,184 in FY2020-2021).

2. 1,370 unduplicated individuals participated in online and in-person grief support groups (7% higher than unduplicated individuals participated in online groups in FY2020-2021; no in-person groups were offered in FY2020-2021); 275 participants attended in-person groups and 1,367 individuals attended online groups (Note - some individuals attended more than one support group, so the enrollment number is higher than the unduplicated number of individuals served.) Additionally, 112 participants enrolled in Spanish-language groups including online and in-person groups for adults, families, and students. Group participants attended 7,858 service sessions (compared to 5,163 service sessions in FY2020-2021).

In FY2021-2022, Bo’s Place offered 8-week online family groups, in-person family groups (ongoing groups that meet twice monthly and 9-week groups), online adult groups, online and in-person school groups, online pregnancy loss groups and a Little Friends video series.

Support group participants had access to several special programs: Día de Los Muertos activities offered through both online and in-person groups in October 2021 and a bilingual Women’s Retreat in April 2022 attended by 39 women (31 English-speaking/8 Spanish speaking). Bo’s Place also distributed 358 books to 80 families participating in Bo’s Book Club, and 66 families received Camp Healing Hearts @Home Family Activity boxes.

3. 122 students attended school-based groups at 15 different schools (compared to 58 students at 7 schools during the 2020-2021 school year); 17 students participated in Spanish-language school groups.
Bo’s Place provided 266 “Healing Hearts” Grief Resource Bookbags to 217 schools filled with age-appropriate grief literature and resources to schools (elementary, middle, or high schools) that sought additional resources to support bereaved students.

4. Bo’s Place held 24 online community education training opportunities for 1,126 participants; 77% percent of attendees participated free of charge. This included specialized trainings for 469 school professionals.
5. 95% of participants had a strengthened support system and did not feel as isolated or alone in their grief. 92% of participants had acquired new healthy coping skills and were better able to face future challenges. 90% of participants had gained knowledge about grief and bereavement. 90% of participants could integrate their loved one’s memory into their lives and had built a strong continuing bond with the deceased. 89% of participants had an increased sense of possibility for the future and saw the potential for experiencing joy again. 82% of participants are better able to communicate their thoughts, feelings, and memories of the person who died.