Funeral directors press state board for answers on missing Department of Public Health inspector; special meeting set for March 24

Funeral directors and association representatives told the state Board of Examiners that the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) has not provided a qualified funeral-industry inspector for roughly six months, and they secured a special meeting with DPH to press for answers.

The comments came during the meeting’s public-comment period, when several funeral directors said they have repeatedly tried to reach licensing and inspection staff without success. “We think that there is, really a problem with not having a funeral inspector who is a funeral director,” said Pam Shaughnessy Banks, identifying herself as a funeral director and owner of Shaughnessy Banks Funeral Home in Fairfield. She said funeral homes around the state have reported “a lot of things happening ... that are not correct or appropriate.”

John Cascio, speaking for the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA), said the professional group and individual funeral homes have called the department “multiple times” and have not received consistent contact. “We need to know who that contact person is going to be,” Cascio said.

Aiden Baum, with the Department of Public Health’s Public Health Hearing Office, advised the board on process and recommended using the board chair and the board liaison to secure DPH participation. “If the board wants to act on this ... the board chair reaches out to the board liaison who then coordinates with the department,” Baum said.

Steve Carriger, who identified himself as manager of the department’s practitioner licensing unit, said licensing questions and complaints should be routed through the board liaison and that he can be contacted directly for licensing matters. Carriger provided an email format and a direct line for follow-up and said investigators and inspection staff are in a separate section. “There’s a woman named Laura Morris who manages the department’s investigation section,” Carriger said, and he advised the group to include her and Chris Andreessen (section chief for practitioner licensing and investigations) in follow-up outreach.

The board voted to schedule a special meeting to discuss the inspector and hiring/assignment questions. Board members moved and seconded the motion; the motion passed with those present saying “aye.” The special meeting was set for March 24 at 10 a.m. in the DPH hearing room at 410 Capitol Avenue, with the option to join electronically.

Other formal business during the session included approval of the minutes from the December meeting and a motion to close the current meeting; both motions passed by voice vote. Board members and public commenters said they want DPH staff at the March 24 session who can speak to staffing, recusal in ongoing cases, and the process for licensing portability for applicants whose materials the department reported not receiving.

CFDA and individual funeral directors asked the board liaison, Betty Rosario, to collect written details of the concerns so the department can prepare for the March 24 meeting. Board and DPH staff repeatedly urged that specific concerns be submitted in writing ahead of the special meeting so DPH staff can do preparatory work and determine which officials should attend.

Next scheduled board meeting dates referenced in the session were June 3 for the board’s regular meeting and March 24 for the special meeting at DPH.