SDSU Extension to Host Webinar on End-of-Life Planning and Facilitator Recruitment

SDSU Extension Targets End-of-Life Planning With Sept. 1 Webinar

South Dakota State University Extension has scheduled a free informational webinar for Sept. 1 to help individuals and professionals prepare for future caregiving and end-of-life decisions, while simultaneously recruiting local facilitators for its Organize This program.

The virtual event, titled “Organize This! Explore, Adapt and Implement for Local Impact,” will run from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. CDT via Zoom. Registration is required through the SDSU Extension Events page.

A Multi-State Collaborative Approach to Legal and Personal Organization

This initiative is a ten-month educational experience developed in collaboration with land-grant universities in Nebraska and North Dakota. It focuses on teaching citizens essential legal concepts and organization strategies for future decision-making.

Organizers state that the curriculum helps individuals take practical steps to prepare for the future while easing the burden on loved ones.

Pilot Program Lessons and 2026 Facilitator Training Details

Upcoming sessions will provide an overview of the program’s purpose, structure, key components, and lessons learned from a 2025 pilot involving participants from six states.

Additionally, the webinar will cover facilitator training opportunities scheduled for October 2026 costing $200 per trainee, alongside resources needed for local implementation beginning in 2027.

Why Fiduciaries Matter Before Crises Strike

Leacey Brown, SDSU Extension Gerontology Field Specialist, noted that families often lack plans when difficult moments arise.

Life often brings difficult moments before families feel ready or have a plan in place, Brown said. Fiduciaries become crucial during accidents, serious illness, aging or death of a loved one. Yet many people delay naming one through documents like a power of attorney or health care directive, leaving families scrambling at the worst possible time.

Toolkit Feedback and Expanding Participation Across Six States

Participants who completed previous sessions reported positive experiences with the provided toolkit. One participant remarked during follow-up interviews that There were things on there I never would have thought of—like how to access your email.

The program piloted virtually in 2025 with 36 participants across six states, including South Dakota and neighboring regions, before drawing over 50 registrants and 25 waitlisted individuals in its second year.

Extending Research-Based Support Across South Dakota’s 66 Counties

SDSU Extension delivers research-based information supporting farmers, ranchers, businesses, communities, families, and youth.

The organization operates offices across all 66 counties in South Dakota, maintains its main office in Berg Agricultural Hall, collaborates with the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and serves as the outreach arm of South Dakota State University.