Perinatal Hospice and Palliative Care
Perinatal hospice and palliative care is care and support given to families when the baby is diagnosed with a condition that will most likely be fatal either prior to birth or shortly after. Perinatal hospice and palliative care provides medical, nursing, spiritual, emotional, social, and bereavement care to families experiencing consequences of a perinatal loss.
The following services may be available through perinatal hospice or palliative care:
- Prenatal support – emotional, spiritual, and medical
- Support groups for parents, sibling and others
- Guidance in working with medical specialties
- Childbirth education and preparation
- Develop individualized personalized birth plans
- Coordinate discharge from hospital
- Assist in creating keepsakes, mementos, and treasures
- Assist with memorial service and funerals
- Emotional and bereavement support
- Pain management for baby, if necessary
Your area hospital may be able to provide resources for perinatal hospice and community-based hospice programs in your community that may offer the support you need.
This information is shared as required by SDCL 34-23B-8. The Department does not endorse any specific perinatal hospice program.
Self-reported perinatal hospice programs in South Dakota
- Avera: Sarah Christie, RN – Embrace/Perinatal Transport Coordinator, Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center. Direct: 605-322-4428
- Monument Health: Michelle Sieveke, RN, MSN – Director, Home Plus Home Health and Hospice
Office Locations:
Monument Health Hospice Rapid City, 224 Elk Street, Rapid City, SD 57701, 605-755-7710
Monument Health Hospice Spearfish, 931 E. Colorado Blvd, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-644-4444
- Sanford Health: Dr. Daniel Mark, MD or Pam Koepsell, APRN, CNS, 605-312-3938
PRISM/Pediatric Palliative Care
Ava’s House – Sanford’s intergenerational Hospice House including infants and children
Sanford SHARE Chapter: nationalshare.org/
Click here for a list of perinatal hospice programs in surrounding states.
LAWS
On March 9, 2021, Senate Bill 83, an Act to require the provision of information regarding perinatal hospice, was signed into law by Governor Noem. SDCL 34-23B-8 required the South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH) to provide links to organizations providing perinatal hospice and palliative care resources and services as well as a list of perinatal hospice and palliative care providers in South Dakota and surrounding states.
Organizations and Resources
Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC): The Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) is a national organization dedicated to increasing the availability of quality palliative care services for people facing serious, complex illness. Their web site provides palliative care information for people coping with serious, complex illness. The site includes a palliative care provider director, descriptions of what palliative care does and how to get it, and an interactive questionnaire to assist you in determining whether palliative care might be appropriate for you or a loved one. The web site is found at www.getpalliativecare.org.
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization: The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) is an organization representing hospice and palliative care programs and professionals in the United States. The organization is committed to improving end of life care and expanding access to hospice care with the goal of profoundly enhancing quality of life for people dying in America and their loved ones. Their web site provides information and resources on hospice and palliative care services. The web site is located at www.nhpco.org.
PerinatalHospice.org: This site is intended to be a clearinghouse of information about perinatal hospice and palliative care. The site includes resources for parents and caregivers as well as an international list of programs. The web site is located at www.perinatalhospice.org.