JUST ASK …Truth fears no investigation. Your local licensed funeral professional has nothing to hide!

Funeral Industry News March 13, 2012
CDFuneralNews

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JUST ASK …Truth fears no investigation. Your local licensed funeral professional has nothing to hide!

Guest Article From: Monica Vernette Gray, Funeral Diva

Tongues wag and fingers point whenever an unlicensed person makes the headlines due to some behavior that is most unbecoming to a licensed funeral service professional.  Recently in Chicago, Illinois, Carter Funeral Home made the news when it was discovered that this establishment was without gas for heat and electricity for light.  There were also allegations of bodies being poorly cared for.

Whose fault is it that a funeral home was allowed to operate without utilities?  Were the utility companies mandated to report the utilities disconnections to the Cook County (Illinois) Public Health Department?  Who is to blame when unlicensed individuals grace the news reports … with no licensed person(s) to be found?   Who should be placed in “time out” for this incident?  Is this an isolated incident or is this type of behavior and conduct happening across the country?

The state licensing boards can enforce the laws that relate to licensed persons, but they cannot be in every arrangement conference to police and ensure compliance.  Perhaps some of these laws could be changed through legislation to provide sanctions and deterrents to unlicensed activity.  Perhaps there is so much apathy among licensed professionals about this unlicensed activity that the seriousness of the matter is minimized and relegated to miniscule.

In my humble opinion, the best solution to the “unlicensed persons” issue is EDUCATION.  Each one of us must do our part to educate our families, friends, neighbors, church members, and the community at large about the benefits and value associated with the services of a licensed funeral service professional.  Please make a personal commitment to our industry and profession by doing your part to educate the funeral service consumer to seek out the services of licensed funeral service professionals.

Please encourage people to JUST ASK their funeral service provider for their professional license.  The professional license should be prominently displayed in a funeral home. However, arrangement conferences may take place in other areas.  Many times our families may not ask us about our licensure because they trust us and may feel they are challenging us if they question us.  It may never occur to our families that there Is a possibility that an unlicensed person is sitting across from them representing that they are a licensed funeral professional.

On March 15, 2012, please join me and post the following message to your social media accounts, including, but not limited to:  LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook accounts:  JUST ASK …Truth fears no investigation.  Your local licensed funeral professional has nothing to hide!

Monica Vernette Gray, MBA & LFDE (vernette1@msn.com)

Mentorship Director, Funeral Divas