New NFDA Bulletin Provides Relevant
News for Members
Welcome to the completely redesigned NFDA Bulletin! Besides a new look
and feel, you’ll notice a tighter focus on information that will ultimately
help build your business. We’ve added a “Funeral Facts” section
where we’ll include interesting facts related to the profession. The entire
content will now be provided within the email, instead of having to link to the
NFDA Website to read it. Also, you can count on receiving the NFDA Bulletin
every other week, filled with the latest news and NFDA events. This will prove
to be an important tool for your business – and it’s an exclusive
benefit just for NFDA members!
The revitalized NFDA Bulletin also includes the reconstruction of our
mailing list database. If you’ve unsubscribed from this publication in the
past, we apologize. If you no longer wish to receive the NFDA Bulletin, please
click here
to unsubscribe. But we urge you to take a look again. You might like what you
see.
While we’re excited about the new NFDA Bulletin, we’re continuously
looking to improve and make it the most useful and informative source for members.
That’s why we’d like to hear what you think. You’re welcome
to post your comments regarding content, or any ideas or suggestions that you
feel would make it stronger. Here, NFDA staff and other members can view your
thoughts. Just visit http://www.nfda.org/discussionboard.php?replyto=192&mId=193.
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Preneed Guidelines Strengthened by NFDA Policy Board
After meeting October 18, 2003 in Las Vegas, Nevada, the NFDA Policy Board
voted to strengthen NFDA’s preneed guidelines. The original guidelines titled
The Model Consumer Protection Guidelines for State Preneed Funeral Statutes
were first approved by the Policy Board in October, 2000. They were designed to
ensure that consumers who purchase preneed funeral goods and services make informed
decisions, deal with ethical and licensed preneed sellers and agents, and retain
the right to cancel preneed funeral contracts or transfer preneed funding to different
funeral providers.
The guidelines as amended by the Policy Board include new:
- Disclosure language
- Preneed Trusting Requirements
- Language for Revocation/Portability of Preneed Contract and Funding
- Preneed Consumer Guaranty Fund
The most extensive language change to the Guidelines was made in the area of
trusting. The new Preneed Trusting Requirements call for 100 percent trusting.
It reads: If preneed funds are to be placed into trust, state laws and regulations
should require that, subject to the specific exemptions set forth below, 100 percent
of the preneed funds paid by the purchaser to the seller shall be deposited and
remain in trust.
“The research we have shared with our members shows that consumers seek
credibility, accountability and reliability,” says NFDA Chief Executive
Officer, Christine Pepper. “These new guidelines are proof that we want
to set the bar as high as we can, and the hope is that the states will do the
same,” added Pepper.
The new Guidelines can be found on the NFDA Website at http://www.nfda.org/page.php?pID=202.
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Funeral Directors Can Direct Victims of Crime to Grant Resource
To help you serve families better, NFDA wants you to be knowledgeable of various
resources for your families. One such resource includes grants available for victims
of crime. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam establish
compensation programs each year after receiving OVC funds. These funds reimburse
victims for crime related expenses such as medical costs, mental health counseling,
funeral and burial costs and lost wages or loss of support. Compensation is paid
only when other financial resources, such as private insurance and offender restitution,
do not cover the loss. Some expenses are not covered by most compensation programs,
including theft, damage, and property loss. Although each state compensation program
is administered independently, most programs have similar eligibility requirements
and offer comparable benefits. To learn more about benefits offered and how to
get in contact with OVC, visit NFDA’s Website at http://www.nfda.org/page.php?pID=512.
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Elections Present Board Members, New Future for NFDA
The 2003 NFDA Convention & Expo has introduced newly installed board members
at NFDA including Mark D. Musgrove, CFSP, from Eugene, OR, as the NFDA President.
The new President-elect is R. Doggett Whitaker Jr., CFSP, from Newberry, SC, and
Robert J. Biggins, CFSP, from Rockland, MA, will serve as the new Treasurer. John
(Jack) Hogan Jr., CFSP, from Flushing, NY, was elected as NFDA Secretary by a
vote of 353 to 291. Arvin W. Starrett, CFSP, MBIE, from Paris, TX; William C.
Wappner, CFSP, from Mansfield, OH; John D. Reed Sr., CFSP, CPC, from Webster Springs,
WV; and Arthur W. (Bubba) Lang, CFSP from Gulfport, MS will be NFDA’s At-large
Representatives. To view the entire current executive board, visit http://www.nfda.org/executiveboard.php.
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Teleconference to Prepare Members for OSHA Inspections
NFDA is pleased to welcome Jay F. Burnside for Preparing Your Home for an
OSHA Inspection on November 13 from 1-3 p.m. Jay will teach you how to be
prepared – from staff training to technical compliance issues. You’ll
find it especially useful to learn about handling, usage and disposal of sharps
and how to conduct yourself properly during an audit to minimize negative results.
Each teleconference is $105 for NFDA members ($130 non-members). There is no limit
to the number of staff who can participate, while one licensee from each firm
can receive two CE contact hours approved by the Academy of Professional Funeral
Service Practice and by most state boards. All line charges and materials are
included in the fee. For each additional licensee requiring CEs, the fee is $50.
Call NFDA at 800-228-6332 or visit http://www.nfda.org/page.php?pID=82
for registration information and deadlines. Don’t miss this opportunity
for relevant information being brought right into your funeral home.
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2003 Convention Workshops Now Available on Audio Tape
The success of this year’s annual convention in Las Vegas shined, not
only in attendance at 5,900, but also with the strength of this year’s workshops.
One of the more popular workshops titled Buying and Selling Your Funeral Home,
discussed the top reasons why deals fail, structuring your transactions, drafting
responsibilities and the purpose and structure of the acquisition document. Other
popular workshops this year included: Good Service is Not Enough; Exceptional
Events: A New Frontier for Funeral Service; Embalming, Gross Vs. Microscopic
Conditions; and Personnel Issues Solved. But if you missed any of these,
or other convention workshops, you can order them on audio tape through NFDA at
800-228-6332. You can also view the 2003 convention workshops at http://www.nfda.org/page.php?pID=456.
The only workshop not available on tape would be Is Your Business Strategy
Future Proof?
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NFDA Bulletin
PERMISSION TO REPRINT. NFDA encourages publications to reprint the material
included in this or any issue of the NFDA Bulletin (unless otherwise indicated)
in their publications with source attributed to NFDA. For more information on
any item included in this issue of the NFDA Bulletin, please send an email to
bulletin@nfda.org or call 262-789-1880.
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