For Immediate Release: April 1, 2022

Brookfield, Wis. – To help association members be at their best so they can effectively support the families they serve, the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) has partnered with SupportLinc to launch a member assistance program. 

During the pandemic, as has been widely reported in the media, Americans have struggled with their mental health. According to Mental Health America, four in five employees feel emotionally drained from their work, an early sign of burnout, and nine in 10 employees report that their workplace stress affects their mental health. Beyond challenges posed by a person’s work, Mental Health America reports more than 17 million adults struggle with depression, 19 million deal with substance abuse and 9.8 million have experienced suicidal thoughts. 

“It’s never been more apparent just how important it is for us to take care of ourselves so that we can show up as our best selves when we’re serving families,” said NFDA President Randy Anderson, CFSP, CCO. “Our work is not easy – we see and experience difficult things. And, we all have stresses outside of the workplace that can affect us in different ways. That’s why I am so happy that we have teamed up with SupportLinc to give members convenient access to people and resources that can support our emotional wellbeing and promote a healthy work-life balance.”

Administered by CuraLinc Healthcare, NFDA’s SupportLinc member assistance program is available at no charge to association members and their immediate family (i.e., spouse and children). All requests for information and assistance are confidential and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and include:  

• In-the-moment support and short-term counseling by phone, web, text or mobile app with a licensed clinician that can provide support for work-related pressures, depression, stress, anxiety, grief, relationship problems, substance abuse or other emotional health concerns. Members and their immediate family can also receive up to three in-person or video counseling sessions each year.
• Through Virtual Support Connect, members can take part in digital support group sessions hosted by licensed counselors on topics such as grief, mindfulness, preventing burnout and more.
• Free, 30-minute legal consultation per issue with a local attorney, by phone or in-person.
• SupportLinc’s knowledgeable specialists provide referrals that help address a wide range of challenges such as child or elder care, adoption, pet care, home repair, education, and housing needs.
• Members can receive expert financial consultation and planning with pressure-free, personalized guidance.
• The SupportLinc website is a one-stop shop for support, resources, self-assessments, information and more. Members can also find on-demand training to boost wellbeing, financial calculators, career resources, and retail and service provider discounts. 
• Members can click the Mental Health Navigator icon on the SupportLinc website or mobile app to complete a short survey and receive personalized guidance for accessing program support and resources.
• And more. 

NFDA members can learn more about all of the tools, resources and information available to them and their immediate family at www.nfda.org/SupportLinc or by calling their NFDA member service representative at 800-228-6332. 

“NFDA cares deeply about you and your well-being. We are committed to supporting you so that you can be at your best, both when you’re serving grieving families and when you’re spending time with family and friends,” Anderson said. “Asking for help is never easy, but you matter to us and that is why NFDA is making SupportLinc available at no charge to you and your immediate family. Please take a moment to learn more how SupportLinc can provide support for everyday issues every day.” 

NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving more than 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.

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Media Contact: Jessica Koth, 262-814-1536, jkoth@nfda.org