The More You Know

​When Washingtonians choose to care for their own dead, they are choosing to participate in and uphold the laws and requirements of the State. In turn, they need the help of professionals and authorities, including those in state and local government, hospitals and care facilities, medical emergency personnel, and possibly other service providers such as clergy and funeral directors. 

On This Page

  • Information for authorities to assist and support home funeral families who choose to care for their own dead

​Authorities in each area of expertise hold the key to changing the deathcare experience for family and community members for the better. We urge all professionals to research the laws that grant Washingtonians the right to care for their own dead, and to understand your part in exercising them.

Home funeral families and communty deathcare groups are also trying to learn how to better ask for help from authorities. Learn more about their perspective at How to Work With Professionals.

Information for Professionals

We have prepared simple one-sheet flyers of information pertinent to each of the following disciplines for your use in trainings and posting in appropriate venues. Please feel free to download and print any that are useful. Check back frequently for additional resources as we develop or locate them.

Washington Funeral Resources and Education is interested in sharing stories of institutions that have reduced barriers to Washingtonians wishing to care for their own dead. If you have updated your body release policy, your grief packet, or staff training procedures we would love to hear about your experience. Please send us a note through the Contact form. We are especially interested to learn about a family-friendly body release policy currently in use at a Washington Medical Facility that could be shared through this website. (Read about an Oregon hospital's body release policy update.)
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Funeral Directors
How Funeral Directors Can Support Washington Home Funeral Families​​
12 Ways Funeral Directors Can Support Home Funeral Families
End-of-Life Doulas & Home Funeral Guides
These community-based volunteers and practitioners have experience both helping individuals and educating the community and other professionals. Learn more about working with them under How to Work with Professionals. 

In-Service Trainings

​Looking for someone to teach an in-service training or presentation? Contact us and we'll help find someone in your area who is knowledgeable about home funerals. Go to Contact and complete the form—Thank you!
Washington Funeral Resources and Education is a non-commercial public interest site dedicated to helping Washington consumers care for their own dead with or without the assistance of a funeral director. See FuneralPartnership.org for more state funeral information. This site is maintained as a project of White Eagle Memorial Preserve and Sacred Earth Foundation, which coordinates responses to inquiries with other Washington-based organizations and practitioners that support the mission of the Funeral Partnership.
Disclaimer: 
This website has been created by volunteers making reasonable efforts to provide resources and materials for informational purposes only. Any information you obtain from this website is not legal advice and should not be relied upon without confirmation of current law. No warranties, expressed or implied, are made with respect to the information herein. There is no guarantee that the information contained here is complete or up-to-date as of the date that you view this site. ​The agencies linked via hyperlinks are responsible for the content of those sites. Their information is subject to change and should be consulted directly to ensure accurate and up-to-date information. Please report any inaccuracies to us in the form on the CONTACT page. Thank you!