Community Agency Project

Community Agency Project

Background

How was the agency created?

Friends of the Morsbach family created Peter’s Place in 2001 in loving memory of Peter Morsbach, who had died suddenly aged only ten. Peter’s family and friends saw a need to develop an agency to support grieving families, especially those with financial problems.

The population/geographic areas serviced by the investigating agency

Peter’s Place targets grieving families, particularly those who have financial challenges. The agency is the first family grief support agency of its kind. The institution is located in Radnor, Pennsylvania, and serves the local population and people from other areas of the US.

The rationale for the existence of the agency.

The main aim of the agency is to provide support to grieving families, particularly those who cannot afford it. The program resembles a nationally recognized institution but is highly advanced to meet the needs of bereaved children and families. The agency combines extensive best practices, professional experience, and local community needs awareness to offer inimitable services.  

Agency Environment

Details about the building's exterior and inside

The house is a typical 19th-century house in Radnor, Pennsylvania. Since it was constructed, the house has undergone several changes and features customization that make it appropriate and ideal for its current purpose. The building is located at 336 King of Prussia Road. The interior of the building is decorated well with furniture and paintings that create a comforting mood for all users. It has modern and antique furniture with warm colors on the walls that avoid sharp contrasts.

Details about the neighborhood and the travel agency

The neighborhood is full of business enterprises and a shopping mall. Therefore, this is a business (not a residential) neighborhood. Peter’s Place is located at 336 King of Prussia Road, Radnor, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The agency is a short walk from the R5 Radnor Train Station. People can also drive themselves to the center or use a motorcycle or bicycle. The center is served by paved roads, including routes 202, 76, 476, and 30.

Client’s expectations for the initial contact

When making the initial contact, a client should expect a prompt reply. Depending on the number of inquiries, the agency’s personnel may reply in one or two days. There is no need to wait for a lengthy time for an appointment. The office is also open to visit without appointments and make inquiries.

The appointment Day

Once in the building, the wait is usually not long. The waiting time will usually depend on the number of visitors on that day. The waiting room is spacious, inviting, and equipped with comfortable seats and a water dispenser. A person gets a positive first impression from the building’s interior, exterior, and neighborhood. Visitors also get well-received and treated by the workers at the agency.

Problem

The issues that lead clients to the agency

Grieving is the main problem that brings clients to the agency. Peter’s Place accepts, comforts, and supports grieving children, parents, and families. They focus especially on people who cannot afford to pay for alternative services. The agency is the first of its kind in the area.

Secondary issues that consumers encounter as a result of the first problem

Grieving causes emotional and psychological distress and trauma. People experience significant psychological pain from losing a loved one, especially when the death is sudden. Other mental and physical health problems associated with grieving include anxiety, depression, sleep problems, suicidal ideation, behavioral problems, and physical illness.

Interviews

The role of administrators and service workers

The services performed by the administrators and service staff include peer support group, social media management, fundraising, office administration, and volunteers management. They also oversee community administration and provide resources to families and or community support agencies. Their work revolves around the implementation of the agency’s programs and providing grieving children and families support and comfort.

Enrolment systems and qualifications for admittance

Families begin the intake process after bereavement. An initial phone consultation is conducted to share program information and schedule an in-person intake meeting. This intake meeting comprises a tour of the space and allows the prospecting clients to sit with staff and learn more about a Peter’s Place group experience. Groups are provided to children aged 4-18.

Agency Services

Peer support groups are offered for children and families following the death of a loved one. Groups are held at the agency’s Radnor office and in schools in Philadelphia and the surrounding 5-counties. The Radnor groups occur after school hours, whereas the school groups occur during the school day. Peter’s Place also provides postvention services, which may include several programs offered to a school or community following the death of a member of that school or community. Through professional development training and connecting others to existing resources, Peter’s Place serves as a community resource for education on grief and loss.

Client’s result expectations

Peter’s Place values creating a safe space where children can connect with others who have experienced the death of an important person in their lives. As such, children may establish healthy processing and relationship with their grief while also reducing feelings of isolation.

Actual outcomes vs. the intended objective 

Because the grief experience is lifelong and unique, the agency’s ultimate goal is to serve as a foundational component for bereaved children to embark upon a healthy integration of their loss experience in a way that enables them to maintain a connection with the person who died while continuing to grow and manage other meaningful relationships. Currently, the agency’s families complete end-of-year program evaluations. Items such as understanding more about grief, understanding more about the experience, being comfortable talking with others, feeling as though others can understand one’s experience of grief, etc., are indicators of a therapeutic and supportive encounter.

Evaluation

The agency's effectiveness and efficiency

The agency is run efficiently and effectively, which explains why it has continued to thrive and benefit an increasing number of people since its founding. According to the administrator, the agency is “a grieving center for children and families with our mission to provide safe and supportive environments for grieving children and families and act as a community resource to foster understanding of the effects of death and grief.”

What are the advantages of suggesting this agency to learners or consumers?

I would recommend sending students to this agency as it has a lot to offer in training and transformation. Students will learn about the best approaches for handling grief, which will improve their effectiveness in future careers. The agency is an appropriate learning environment because it has many clients, and students can learn through observations and interactions.

The agency's challenges require innovative answers

One of the challenges that the agency faces is grief. The experience of grief and the tasks of bereavement for individuals and groups are always difficult to manage, no matter how experienced a person may be. The best solution to this challenge is providing emotional and psychological support to the staff because some experiences in the line of duty can be extremely traumatizing. Another challenge that the agency faces revolve around finances. The institute operates mostly as a non-profit community organization. The best way to solve this problem is to increase revenue collection and introduce more revenue-generating activities. For example, the agency can offer more slots in its institute for grief education and awareness.