Providers shared the following approaches for handling consumer deaths when there is no family support and no burial plan in place:

1. **Contact DDS immediately**: The client’s DDS case manager should be notified at once — DDS has processes for managing end-of-life arrangements for clients without family support.
2. **Representative payee**: If the client has a representative payee (individual or agency), that party has obligations regarding the client’s estate and remaining SSA funds; contact them promptly.
3. **County coroner**: Notify the county coroner per standard death reporting requirements. If no next of kin is located, the county public administrator (public fiduciary) may take responsibility for disposition.
4. **State indigent burial programs**: Arkansas has county-level indigent burial assistance programs accessible through the coroner’s office. The coroner can connect you with these resources.
5. **Proactive planning**: Providers strongly recommended addressing burial preferences and identifying any financial resources (burial insurance, prepaid funeral arrangements) during annual ISP planning — before a crisis occurs. Some providers include a “final arrangements” section in their residential program intake documentation.

Document all contacts, decisions, and referrals thoroughly. This is an area where clear agency policy and proactive client file documentation make a significant difference.