We miss being on the map alongside others: Civil society organizations and bereavement support in cases of drug-related deaths in Norway

This study explores how helpers working in civil society organizations (CSOs) in Norway experience possibilities and barriers relating to supporting bereaved people after drug-related deaths. Data is derived from focus group interviews with a total of 21 helpers from different CSOs that had experience interacting with drug-death bereaved people. Based on a stepwise and reflexive thematic analysis, two main themes were identified. The theme of Responsiveness presents the possibilities for support, and the theme of Invisibility presents the barriers to support. We discuss several key characteristics of bereavement support provided by CSOs, and explore the barriers to support as experienced by the helpers. The article concludes that CSOs have an important and valuable role in bereavement support after drug-related deaths. However, they seem to be an underused resource. Effort is needed to utilize the potential of the CSOs, both to meet the bereaved people’s unfulfilled needs for support and to ease the pressure on the universal welfare model.