NEWBURGH, NY — Many people have difficulty understanding and communicating their emotions when faced with a death of someone close. Especially for a child, the loss of a loved one can be devastating and confusing—a death caused by addiction is even harder to understand.

As people typically avoid conversations with children and young adults about drug-related deaths, the silence is deafening. Although addiction affects thousands of lives each year, there is still an overwhelming sense of isolation because of society’s reluctance to talk about losing someone we love to drugs and alcohol.

Children need compassion and support while coping with the shame, guilt, isolation and fear that stem from this isolation. To this end, in the summer of 2016, Hospice of Orange and Sullivan opened Camp Chrysalis, a free day-camp program that focuses on healing activities for children and youth experiencing grief. Though the camp is open to children dealing with grief of any kind, in the last four years, the camp has seen an uptick in the number of children attending after losing a loved one to opioid addiction.

 It is important that family caregivers and health professionals recognize the misperceptions that stand in the way of providing children with tools as they experience the process of mourning, the camp’s staff says. Camp Chrysalis provides a safe atmosphere of acceptance, understanding and grief education, while facilitating healing activities such as art, music, discussion and recreation.

Staffed by trained hospice social workers, hospice bereavement volunteers and YMCA camp staff, children and youth are guided through their grief responses as they implement effective coping skills. “We service many children who are grieving a tragic loss. A death from an overdose complicates grief and requires the children [to face] an additional challenge in adjusting to the death,” says Kim Warner, director of social work and bereavement at Hospice of Orange & Sullivan. “Our camp is a great way for the children to understand that they are not alone, that there are other children experiencing grief and that we believe in their resiliency.”                       

To help the family cope, the camp will also have an adult session on Sunday, August 25, to assist adults who are raising grieving children to understand how children grieve differently than adults.

 “This is the fourth year our free day-camp program is being offered… to children ages five to 17,” says Warner. “The death of the loved one need not have been on our Hospice Program for children to participate.”

Camp Chrysalis will be held on August 23, 24 and 25 at the YMCA of Sullivan County in Rock Hill. The program is a partnership between the YMCA of Sullivan County and Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, Inc., offered to all in need of this special support. Camp organizers said they are grateful to Friends of Hospice and Rolling V Bus Corp. for providing transportation to and from the camp all three days. There will be designated pickup locations in both Monticello and South Fallsburg. Parents will also be permitted to ride on Sunday for their program.

Enrollment is limited and the deadline for applications is August 9. For more information, visit www.hospiceoforange.com/camp-chrysalis-growing-through-grief or call Kim Warner at 845/561-6111 x117.