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Politics & Government

State Health Department to Cut Funeral Director, Embalmer Licenses

The Department of Public Health released details of its budget cuts on Monday.

Editor's Note: The Department of Public Health (DPH) informed Patch late Friday afternoon that it will "continue to regulate funeral homes, funeral directors, and embalmers," according to a statement released by the department. According to the DPH, its announcement earlier this week, that it would no longer license funeral homes, funeral directors and embalmers was inaccurate.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health has proposed to eliminate state licenses for funeral homes, funeral directors, embalmers and college infirmaries in an effort to reduce spending, according to multiple news sources.

According to The Day newspaper of New London, the department did not state how the cuts would save money, but that funeral homes will still be under public-health regulations and enforcement.

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In the Hartford Business Journal, DPH Commissioner Dr. Jewel Mullen said that the changes are "unfortunate" but that the department is working to become "more effective and efficient."

Philip Pietras, funeral director and owner of Tolland Memorial Funeral Home, said that eliminating licensing could have significant and far-reaching impacts on the public.

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“It could definitely be a health risk,” he said. “There are situations that funeral directors get involved with like communicable diseases that we deal with day to day.”

Pietras is on the executive committee of the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association, which represents over 200 funeral homes in the state. He said that the organization is attempting to meet with the DPH Commissioner to get a better understanding of the proposed changes.

“It’s something we don’t really have any answers to,” Pietras said. 

What do you think of the changes? Budgets need to be cut, but could this decision put people are risk?

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