If you’ve ever watched a family walk into your funeral home and known without a doubt that a hospice caregiver had shaped nearly every funeral decision they made before they ever called you, then you already understand the gap I designed this workshop to close.
Hospice care is now involved in more than half of all deaths in most communities. That means hospice nurses, social workers, and chaplains are present in the final weeks of a family’s most sacred time. They are the trusted voices at the bedside. They are answering questions about what comes next. And in many cases, they are quietly influencing which funeral home a family chooses, not through any formal referral, but simply through the relationships they’ve already built and the confidence they carry.
Funeral and cremation providers that understand how hospice works and know how to show up as genuine partners in that care are better positioned to support families, earn lasting community trust, and remain relevant in an increasingly relationship-driven profession. The ones that don’t? They often find themselves wondering why they’re not part of the conversation when it matters most
I built this workshop to change that. And I’m grateful that Johnson Consulting Group is sponsoring it.
On August 12, 2026, I’ll be facilitating the very first Certified Hospice Relations Specialist (CHRS) training day in Minneapolis, a one-day, in-person, interactive certification experience designed specifically for funeral and cremation professionals who are ready to stop being passive participants in hospice relationships and start becoming trusted partners in end-of-life care.
This is a first-ever program, premiering as a pre-convention workshop ahead of CANA’s 108th Annual Convention. It exists because this is the education our profession needs right now and Johnson Consulting Group believes in that mission enough to make it happen.
I’ve spent years teaching, consulting, and coaching funeral professionals on building hospice relationships. And what I’ve learned is this: the gap between funeral providers that thrive and ones that struggle often comes down to whether they understand how to show up in the hospice world with clarity, confidence, and genuine purpose.
The CHRS workshop is structured around a Five-Step Hospice Partnership Framework.
Here’s how we’ll work through it together:
Understand — We’ll start with hospice history, structure, philosophy, and the values that drive hospice professionals. When you speak their language, everything changes.
Identify — You’ll learn how to analyze hospice organizations strategically, using data and market insight to build a prioritized outreach list instead of just a contact list.
Connect — Together, we’ll develop authentic messaging, define your WHY, and practice speaking the language of hospice in a way that actually resonates.
Collaborate — I’ll share real examples of meaningful initiatives that provide genuine value to hospice teams and the families they serve.
Elevate — We’ll talk about measuring success, addressing challenges, and stepping into community leadership while continuously improving your long-term partnerships.
By the end of the day, you’ll leave with three things I’ve designed specifically for immediate use: a clear hospice outreach plan tailored to your community, practical tools and messaging examples you can start using Monday morning, and a deeper understanding of the shared goals between hospice and funeral care.
Through this certification, you’ll receive the complete CANA Hospice Relations Certification Program, a printed training manual provided at check-in, and a digital certificate and badge emailed after successful completion. If you’re a funeral licensee, you can earn up to six (6) continuing education hours through the Academy of Professional Service Practice (and most states accept them).
I designed this workshop for funeral directors, cremation professionals, preneed specialists, community outreach, and funeral home owners and managers. There are no prerequisites, the program works for anyone currently employed in funeral service who wants to strengthen their role in their community’s end-of-life care landscape.
Cemetery professionals are welcome too. While my examples feature funeral homes, the outreach principles apply to any funeral service professional building community partnerships.
Registration is $595 for CANA members and $695 for non-members.
If you’re planning to attend CANA’s 108th Annual Convention (August 12–14), you can bundle both the CHRS workshop and the convention: $1,100 for members or $1,300 for non-members. It’s a smart way to make the most of your trip to Minneapolis.
Groups of five or more can contact CANA directly for a group discount. Students currently enrolled in an accredited funeral service or mortuary science program should reach out for special pricing.
I want to acknowledge Johnson Consulting Group’s sponsorship of this workshop. This sponsorship exists because we believe that hospice relationship-building is no longer optional, it’s essential to your future. The funeral and cremation providers that will thrive in the next decade are the ones investing in education like this today.
As a thank you to our community, I’m offering a special promo code: WITHLACY for 10% off your CHRS workshop registration.
I’ve been doing this work long enough to know that understanding how to show up in the hospice world matters. It matters to your business. It matters to your families. And it matters to the communities you serve.
This workshop isn’t a lecture. It’s interactive, practical, and designed for the real challenges you face. I want you to leave with confidence, the confidence that comes from knowing exactly how to have these conversations, exactly what to say, and exactly why it matters.
Minneapolis. August 12, 2026. I hope you’ll join me!
Register today at cremationassociation.org/chrs and use code WITHLACY for 10% off.
I look forward to seeing you there.
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