Bereavement program targets kids ages 9-18

YOUNGSTOWN — The second annual Camp Stepping Stones, a bereavement program for young people 9 to 18, will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 6 at Churchill Park in Liberty.

Forum Health at Home Hospice, in partnership with Northside Medical Center’s Youth Services CHAMPS course, sponsors the program for children and teens dealing with issues related to the death of a loved one.

Youth experience and deal with grief differently from adults, says a Forum Health press release.

Anger, withdrawal, refusing to talk and even denying the death are among the many behaviors exhibited by children, adolescents and teens.

The bereavement team of Forum Health at Home Hospice is reaching out to help youths learn to cope with their feelings and loss.

Camp Stepping Stones is a supportive program that helps young people work through the grief process while having fun. It’s a place where they can share their feelings with others experiencing a similar loss and learn they aren’t alone, hospice officials said.

Activities, which include the CHAMPS course, are designed to promote teamwork, self-esteem, trust, communication and healing. The program ends with a memorial tribute to honor the participants’ loved ones.

The program is free and open to youths in the target age group who have experienced the death of someone close within the last year. Preregistration is required.

To register and to get more information, call Diana Griffith at (330) 841-5440 by Friday.