irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $64KPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES TO INDIVIDUALS TO RECEIVE CONTINUING EDUCATION REMOTELY. PEOPLE PARTCIPATE IN LIVE AND RECORDED WEBINAR BROADCASTS AND EXAMINATIONS WERE OFFERED RELATED TO THE HANDBOOK OF THANATOLOGY.
- #2 $43KTHE COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM INCLUDED THE CREATION, PROVISION AND MANAGEMENT OF NEWSLETTERS, NEWS DIGESTS TO ASSOCIATION MEMBERS, OVERSIGHT OF THE PUBLICATION OF A HANDBOOK AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE TO PURCHASE, AS WELL AS THE MANAGEMENT OF A WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Annual Conference
Hosts an annual conference featuring workshops, keynote speakers, and networking opportunities focused on advancing thanatology practice and research.
Communications and Publications
Produces newsletters, maintains a website and social media channels, and oversees the publication of the Handbook of Thanatology and other resources.
Professional Development Webinars
Provides live and recorded continuing education webinars on topics related to grief, end-of-life care, and thanatology, offering CE credits for professionals.
Thanatology Certification Program
Offers two levels of professional certification—Certified in Thanatology (CT) and Fellow in Thanatology (FT)—to establish standards for practice and demonstrate mastery in death, dying, and bereavement.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Grief Support Groups and Counseling 3 activities
- Administer certification programs in thanatologyOffers a two-level certification program (Certified in Thanatology and Fellow in Thanatology) to establish professional standards and assess mastery of knowledge in death, dying, and bereavement.
- Host and distribute live and recorded webinars with continuing educationOffers live and recorded webinars on topics related to death education and counseling, including clinical interventions and conceptual challenges in grief, with options for continuing education units (CEUs) for professionals. Provides free access to two webinars annually for members.
- Offer continuing education workshops and credits for professionalsHosts professional development workshops, including half-day sessions and webinars, offering continuing education credits (CEUs) to clinicians and counselors in bereavement care.
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Healthcare Education Scholarships and Fellowships 1 activity
- Award scholarships and professional development grantsProvides financial support to students and early-career professionals through the Ronald Barrett Scholarship, the Edie Stark - Shirley Scott Early Career Award, and other funding mechanisms to advance education and practice in thanatology.
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General Operating Support Grants 1 activity
- Manage endowment and mission-specific fundsAdministers multiple funds—including the General Fund, Endowment Fund, Ira Nerken Trust, Hannelore Wass Fund, and Fifty Futures Global Fund—to support long-term sustainability, core operations, public education, and global initiatives in death education and counseling.
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Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 1 activity
- Organize annual conference for professionals in thanatologyHosts an annual conference featuring workshops, keynote speakers, concurrent sessions, and opportunities for abstract submissions, serving as a central gathering for professionals in death education and counseling.
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Digital Communications and Content Management 1 activity
- Produce and distribute newsletters, handbooks, and digital contentProduces and distributes newsletters and news digests to members, oversees publication of the Handbook of Thanatology, and manages a website and social media channels to support public education and professional communication.
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Financial and Emotional Support for Bereaved Families 1 activity
- Provide free access to academic journals for membersOffers members complimentary access to scholarly publications in the field of death, dying, and bereavement as part of membership benefits.
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Research and Scholarly Fellowship Support 1 activity
- Support research in death, dying, and bereavementAdvances scholarly inquiry in thanatology through a dedicated Research Fund and by recognizing outstanding contributions via the ADEC Research Recognition Award.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Publish and sell foundational academic texts in thanatologyAuthors, publishes, and sells the Handbook of Thanatology, a key academic resource in the field of death, dying, and bereavement, with multiple editions released to reflect current knowledge.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$697K
Contributions & grants$57K8%
Program service revenue$619K89%
Investment income$19K3%
Other revenue$632
expenses
Total expenses$502K
Program expenses64%
Admin / overhead36%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$82K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$739K
Cash$356K
Investments$333K
Liabilities$14K
Net assets$726K
Liquid reserves16.5 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +5.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 10
- BRENT BIRKHOFF — TREASURER
- BRIANNA OVERTON — DIRECTOR
- EVEGENIA JANE MILMAN — DIRECTOR
- GREG ADAMS — DIRECTOR
- JENNIFER MATTHEWS — PRESIDENT
- JILLIAN BLUEFORD — SECRETARY
- KAILEY BRADLEY — DIRECTOR
- MELANIE WRIGHT — PAST PRESIDENT
- STEPHEN CONNOR — VICE PRESIDENT
- WENDY LICHTENTHAL — DIRECTOR
relationships · 15
Who they work with
- Amy Pickett-Williams Partner — Presenter and subject matter expert for a professional development webinar on somatic and polyvagal-informed bereavement support.
- Bereavement Network Europe Partner — Professional network affiliation of presenter, indicating collaborative engagement in the field of bereavement.
- Canadian Virtual Hospice Partner — Collaborates with Canadian Virtual Hospice through a monthly free forum, KidsGrief Q&A, where Andrea Warnick responds to questions about supporting grieving children and youth.
- Columbia University’s Center for Prolonged Grief Partner — Former affiliation of presenter and source of expertise integrated into webinar content on prolonged grief disorder.
- Handbook of Thanatology Network — Oversight of the publication of the Handbook of Thanatology, a resource used in certification and education programs.
- Hospice Foundation of America Partner — Partner organization linked through ADEC's website
- Itasca Books Partner — Partner organization through which ADEC's Handbook of Thanatology is available for purchase.
- Itasca Books Partner — Partner organization through which ADEC's Handbook of Thanatology is distributed.
- Katie Mattei Partner — Presenter and subject matter expert for a professional development webinar on somatic and polyvagal-informed bereavement support.
- Open to Hope Partner — Partner organization linked through ADEC's website
- University of Groningen Partner — Collaborates with researchers from the University of Groningen through webinar presentations and recognition of research contributions
- University of Wuppertal Partner — Collaborates with faculty expert presenting webinar content on prolonged grief and imagery rescripting.
- Utrecht University Partner — Collaborates with affiliated academic institution of presenter on content related to prolonged grief disorder treatment.
- Waveny Visiting Nurse and Hospice Partner — Collaborates with palliative care teams at Waveny Visiting Nurse and Hospice in Connecticut to integrate ritual, narrative, and interdisciplinary approaches in end-of-life care.
- YourMembership Partner — Uses membership software provided by YourMembership for account management.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Attachment- and Somatic-Informed Clinical Modelsmethodology: attachment_informed_grief_supportBy integrating attachment theory, polyvagal theory, and somatic approaches, the organization supports grief as an embodied and relationally rooted experience, because understanding grief beyond cognition allows for more inclusive, trauma-sensitive, and culturally responsive interventions.
- Flexible and Remote Continuing Education Accessmethodology: flexible_learning_pathwaysBy offering both CE and non-CE learning pathways through live and on-demand webinars, the organization increases accessibility to professional development in thanatology, because removing geographic and scheduling barriers enables broader participation and sustained engagement.
- Imagery and Presence-Based Clinical Interventionsmethodology: presence-based_careBy using Imagery Rescripting and presence-based methods like Meditative Heartbeat Therapy (MHbT), the organization addresses emotionally unresolved themes in prolonged grief and supports connection during end-of-life when verbal communication is limited, because nonverbal and imagery-based techniques access affective and relational layers that talk therapy alone may miss.
- Professional Certification as Standardization Mechanismmethodology: professional_certification_standardizationBy establishing certification and recertification processes in thanatology, the organization standardizes professional practice and validates expertise in death, dying, and bereavement, because consistent standards improve credibility and quality of care across the field.
- Story-Based and Non-Pathologizing Pedagogymethodology: story-based_learningBy using real-life narratives and a non-pathologizing framework, the organization teaches compassionate, context-sensitive approaches to grief and death education, because stories and cultural humility foster practical understanding and reduce stigma around diverse grief experiences.