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Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

Santa Cruz County Grand Jury • 2001-2002

Review of the Santa Cruz County Burial Services Program for Indigents

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Findings 15 findings

F1 Page 149
By law, a death certificate is required for every deceased person. The decedent’s physician completes this form if he/she has attended to the decedent during the past twenty days and can offer a plausible cause of death. The clause “death by natural causes” is not permitted on a death certificate. The decedent’s physician must record a definitive reason for death. If a death is caused by homicide, suicide, results from an accident (including drug overdoses), or if there is no attending physician, the case is turned over to the County Coroner.
F2
Decedents are identified by means of: • Personal viewing of the remains by a family member or friend • Identification card • Driver’s license • Fingerprints • Dental records • DNA testing.
F3 Page 149
A cemetery authority, a licensed funeral director, a licensed hospital or its authorized personnel may initiate an autopsy of any remains in their custody with authorization by the deceased’s will or other recorded document, or by next of kin, or when required by law. The County Morgue has one physician who conducts all of the autopsies for Santa Cruz County.
F4 Page 149
In the Indigent Burial Program, once the cause of death has been determined, a Sheriff-Coroner’s Deputy contacts one of the funeral homes to arrange transportation of the remains. After receiving written notice of the cause of death, the funeral director or cemetery authority has the responsibility for disposition of the remains within seven days. Usually the body is kept no longer than three days. During this time, preparation is made for showing or cremation. If family is available and can afford the costs of a service, the deceased is not considered to be indigent.
F5 Page 149
In the Indigent Burial Program, due to the financial situation of the decedent, the body is typically placed in an approved cardboard box and transported to the crematory. At the crematory, the body passes through a detailed and rigorous system of identification. The cremation process is carried out according to standard protocol. The ash is then placed in an approved container, which is either returned to the responsible kin or to another responsible authority.
F6 Page 149
If the decedent is part of the Indigent Burial Program, the ashes may be given to the next of kin. If there is no next of kin, the ashes will be spread at sea by authorized 2001–2002 Santa Cruz County Grand Jury Final Report -6 Review of the Santa Cruz County
F7 Page 150
The Deputy Public Administrator must determine whether or not the decedent had sufficient resources to pay for his or her cremation. To determine eligibility for the Indigent Burial Program, the Public Administrator will: • Use the Assessor’s files to see if the decedent (or relatives) owned property • Speak with the relatives of the deceased (if any), to determine the ability of the estate to pay for the cremation • Discuss the decedent’s source of income and any assets the person had (house, car, and belongings) that could be sold in order to pay for the cremation • Utilize available county indexes, i.e., court files, fictitious business names and voter registration, or Sheriff booking records • Consult with Parole Officers • Research state prison records • Search all computerized data resources • Search Veterans’ records.
F8 Page 150
Annually, the County opens the bidding to determine the funeral homes that are willing to take bodies through the Indigent Burial Program. The funeral homes sign county contracts each fiscal year and receive the bodies on a rotational basis.
F9 Page 150
During the course of the past several contracts, the following funeral homes and Soquel Cemetery and Crematory have contracted with the Santa Cruz County to be vendors for the Indigent Burial Program: • Benito & Azarro Pacific Garden Chapel, Santa Cruz • Davis Memorial Chapel, Watsonville • Mehl’s Colonial Chapel, Watsonville • Norman’s Family Chapel, Santa Cruz
F10 Page 150
The annual funds allocated to this program are approximately $25,000. As a courtesy, the Indigent Burial Program will pay an indigent’s final expenses and allow the family to repay the fund. Arrangements can be made for an affordable payment as low as $10 per month. A letter is mailed to the family as a reminder of their promise to repay the debt. If the family refuses to honor the loan, the case is forwarded to County Collections and the Treasurer’s Office for handling.
F11 Page 150
During the 2000–2001 fiscal year, the Public Administrator received approximately fifty-seven referrals for Indigent Burial Program funding; forty-seven of these were actually processed through the Indigent Burial Program. 2001–2002 Santa Cruz County Grand Jury Report Review of the Santa Cruz County -7 Burial Services Program for Indigents
F12 Page 151
The table below indicates the total number of decedents that were accepted through the Indigent Burial Program from 1999 through February 2002, and for whom the County paid cremation expenses. 1999 – 2000 2000 – 2001 2001 – 2002 Number of Indigents 56 47 Open Cost per Indigent $548.50 $548.50 $595.50
F13 Page 151
At the end of fieldwork in February 2002, there were already sixty-two referrals to the Indigent Burial Program for the current fiscal year, seventeen of which occurred after January 1, 2002.
F14 Page 151
Typically, a funeral home will charge $1500 to $1800 for a cremation; the agreed County fee is $595.50. The cost breakdown for indigent cremation is as follows: Item Cost Funeral Processing $355.29 Carton $35.00 Sales Tax $2.71 Cremation $187.00 Processing Fee $8.50 Total $595.50
F15 Page 151
Another service offered by the County is burial services for victims of violent crimes through the Victim/Witness Program. The County will pay a maximum of $5000 for a victim’s final expenses whether or not the family has sufficient funds. The Victim/Witness Program funds are not part of the Indigent Burial Program. Conclusions

Recommendations 2