Co-Founder and Director of Dustin’s Place Viki Brown updated the Plymouth Common Council earlier this month on some alarming statistics revealed by a recent study conducted through the Judith Ann Griese (JAG) Institute.
For anyone not already familiar with Dustin’s Place, Brown informed the Council that it is a children’s grief center that also provides support to adults grieving the loss of a human loved one. This support is no-cost to the griever. It was founded after the unexpected and tragic death of Brown’s husband Dustin Cullen in a single vehicle accident which left her a widow and the mother of three young children.
During their own grief journey Brown found it challenging to find adequate grief support for her family. After attending a children’s grief support group together her family felt a connection with the other grieving families and Brown set out to establish a similar center in Marshall County.
The Center will be celebrating five years in November; last year alone they served over 400 individuals. Brown shared that in those five years they have come to understand the population they serve well; but there were unknowns. Of all the grievers attending Dustin’s Place – who was being left unserved? To determine that answer to fill that gap – Brown visited the JAG Institute in Colorado which exists to improve the accessibility and quality of care that grieving children and families receive. She engaged with JAG to conduct region specific research to provide that critical data.
When the results came in from reviewing 2018 to 2022 – Brown was astounded. The leading cause of death in Marshall County for adults aged 25 to 49 is overdose. When reviewing mortality rates accidental overdoses are listed under “accidents”; a deeper look at “accidents” revealed that accidental overdoses were actually the leading cause of death for that age group which is also the average age of parents.
Brown illustrated to the Council that one out of five deaths of a parent in Marshall County is due to overdose. For every fatal overdose research suggests there are 15 other non-fatal overdoses that occurred. “These children that are suffering these fatal overdoses in their homes and in their families have most likely suffered 15 non-fatal overdoses that they have personally administered the NARCAN, personally called 911, personally been affected by this trauma that they are living in.”
Brown emphasized that these children are the silent victims. While adults and parents are being given countless resources – too many children are being left behind to suffer with inadequate response and support for their personal traumas.
Brown admitted that having conversations about grief and death can be uncomfortable; but are necessary to mitigate the collateral damage being caused to the children who are suffering in silence with little to no voice advocating for their well being.
Brown is determined to advocate even more powerfully than she has in the past because now she has the data from legitimate research to clearly illustrate the need. In Marshall County there are 6,400 children grieving. There are 2,462 children grieving the death of a parent or sibling – that is one in every ten children or approximately two to three children in every classroom depending on the size of the classroom. Those numbers are known; but how many other children are grieving other loved ones such as a grandparent or caregiver or friend?
Brown advocated that this high number is alarming enough without knowing the exact totals for the rest. The need is clear – the resources are needed.
Dustin’s Place is one of only four children’s grief centers in the State of Indiana. “We do this with no cost. We do this with no waitlist.”
Facilitators at Dustin’s Place are trained volunteers who believe that grief is an emotional journey not a pathological disease requiring a medical diagnosis. Dustin’s Place offers a safe place to take that journey with support and learn coping skills.
Brown informed the Council that Dustin’s Place will be expanding to a new space at the Life Plex. “The Holm’s at the Life Plex fully believe in our mission. Their mission is to support those who are using their God-given gifts within their own community. They have given us 6,500 square feet of the Life Plex to renovate and transform in to a children’s grief center that will be open and available at all times – after school programs, weekend workshops, arts through grief.” Financial support for that $800,000 renovation effort will be requested from a variety of sources in the near future.
Brown explained to the Council that certain grant funds are limiting because they dictate who can be served. Because grief is universal and the mission of Dustin’s Place is that no one grieves alone – Brown is limited on which grants she can apply for because she refuses to turn anyone away to qualify for a restrictive or exclusive funding mechanism.
Brown also appeared before the Marshall County Council with the same update.
Another way to support Dustin’s Place is to attend the Hope Gala 2024 – tickets are available now for the event which will be held at Four Winds Casino on Friday, November 1. Go to dustinsplace.org for more information, make a donation, sponsor, or purchase tickets.
