County coroner’s office outlines revised indigency policy, columbarium plan and application process

A county official presented a draft update to Natrona County’s indigency policy on Aug. 5, aiming to clarify when the county will pay for final disposition of unclaimed or indigent decedents and to add procedures for the county columbarium and unmarked gravesites. The presentation matters because the policy defines when county funds will be used, how funeral homes and families will be asked to contribute, and how the county will handle coroner and non‑coroner cases. What the draft would change: the presenter (identified in the meeting as Jim) said the updated policy mirrors state statute where applicable and fills gaps where statute is vague. Key clarifications include: whether a decedent is “indigent” (the determination applies to the decedent, not the family); distinctions between coroner and non‑coroner cases; an application (rather than an affidavit) to request county assistance;…