News & Events

We have launched a new webpage this week, providing updated information for families who wish to care for their own dead at home. We invite you to view this new Home Funeral page: https://funeralconsumerswmass.org/home-funerals-caring-for-your-own-dead/ Massachusetts has reformed its death registry…

We have a new supply of the FCA planner booklet titled “Before I Go, You Should Know” (also known as the B.I.G. book). See our newly-updated page about these planners, which have been published for years by the national Funeral…

“There’s a Lot of Money in Death”: Funeral Home Consolidation Hits Western Massachusetts, an article by Jonathan Gerhardson, was posted today on The Shoestring. This reporter has spent weeks investigating changes in ownership of funeral homes in our region and…

On Monday, September 29, at a public hearing (viewable via livestream 9am-1pm), several bills concerning death care are on the Agenda. We are especially interested in H.2444, An Act expanding after-death care options. Other bills of interest are H.2374, An…

Our 8-page newsletter was completed last night. Production of the print version (black & white) started today and will be mailed out (via bulk mail) soon. See the color version now on our website. Content included: If you have ideas…

We invite you to a program titled, “Can We Talk? Starting A Conversation About Death.” Come learn about ways to talk with your loved ones about death, dying, and funeral plans. Dina Stander, an end-of-life navigator, will lead the discussion….

We’re sorry that our 2024 Price Comparison Table had failed to open. (You may have seen a message about needing an add-on required to open it. That problem was at our end, not yours.) Our Directory of Funeral Homes was…

We seek candidates for the Board of Trustees of this nonprofit organization. The Board has nine seats, with rotating terms to encourage inclusion of new people to “reinvigorate” the organization. We have 3 open seats now. We welcome people with…

The Devanny-Condon Funeral Home in Pittsfield, MA, has closed, effective May 26, 2025. This funeral home began in 1915 (110 years ago). It became an affiliate of Carriage Services in 1998. Carriage Services has posted this message on the website:…

MAVRIC is the state’s new, modernized system for processing vital events. As of June 2, 2025, MAVRIC replaces the previous Vitals Information Partnership (VIP) system for death registrations. Preparation for this change has been underway for over a year, with trainings…