According Lea Griese of Chadron Community Hospital and Health Services, “All of us here at CCH&HS are excited and proud to announce that on June 14, 2018, our hospice social workers, Ashley Obermeyer and Sarah Hageman, and intern Adrianna Calle, assisted the Hospice department in achieving a Level Three in the national We Honor Veterans Partner program!”

“As a We Honor Veterans Partner, our hospice is able to recognize the unique needs of America’s Veterans and their families as well as learn how to accompany and guide Veterans through their life stories toward a more peaceful ending.”

“The hospice team achieved Level Three through outreach, education, and program and policy implementation. The team provided education and programs to staff, volunteers, and the local community. As part of this education, the team presented information to the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. The hospice team also worked to update and create organizational policy and procedures, including utilizing military history checklists to collect and analyze data on our Veterans. Additionally, the team created and implemented a Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer program within our hospice. The hospice team fostered the Hospice-Veteran partnership with the VA Black Hills Health Care system through field trips to the VA hospital campuses in Sturgis and Hot Springs. Partnerships were also fostered through attendance in Veteran-partner phone conferences. Additionally, staff and volunteers took trips to the National Veteran’s Cemetery in Alliance.”

“Our hospice intern, Adrianna, was instrumental in helping us with this achievement, as she is an Air Force veteran, and provided valuable insight and assistance with this project.  Serving our beautiful country is a selfless act, and it is an honor to have Adrianna as a part of our team.”

“The Hospice department is continuing to develop our We Honor Veterans partnership and is well on its way to achieving the highest level of partnership, Level Four.”