MARQUETTE — The U.P. Hospice Foundation has been awarded a community pilot grant to host an Upper Peninsula-wide grief support conference designed to equip professionals with practical tools to better support grieving children and youth across the region. The U.P. Hospice Foundation serves as the fiduciary and project manager for the grant, with the conference developed through a collaborative partnership with U.P. Home Health & Hospice, Lake Superior Life Care & Hospice and Dr. Yan Ciupak, co-founder of the Grief Support Specialist Program at Northern Michigan University.

Bridging Theory and Practice in Supporting Children and Youth is a one-day, interactive conference created for professionals who work directly with children, youth, and families experiencing grief. Participants will gain exposure to current grief theory alongside evidence-informed, practical strategies that can be immediately applied in real-world settings. The conference will include expert-led presentations, hands-on expressive art activities, and mindfulness-based, embodied experiential practices that promote mindful, holistic, and individualized approaches to grief support.

The conference is open to professionals and agencies throughout the Upper Peninsula, including school districts, intermediate school districts and regional educational service agencies, hospice and healthcare organizations, social work departments, counselors, other community-based providers and caregivers. Organizers encourage agencies to share this opportunity widely within their networks to strengthen regional capacity for compassionate grief care.

The conference will offer continuing education units for nurses and social workers. The inclusion of CEUs allows the training to count toward professional development requirements, making participation both accessible and valuable while laying the groundwork for future regional offerings.

The conference will take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. March 13, at the Northern Center at Northern Michigan University. Professionals and agencies interested in attending are encouraged to visit https://www.uphomehealth.org/event/upgriefsupport2026/ to register and learn more about speakers, session content and CEU opportunities. Early interest and registration are encouraged to ensure broad regional participation.