Burial Resources - OCME

Office of Chief Medical Examiner

Science Serving Justice


Burial Resources

Identification
Outreach
Burial Resources
Resources and Guides

Identification

Outreach

Burial Resources

Resources and Guides


Burial Resources

NYC Human Resources Association Burial Assistance Program

The Human Resources Administration (HRA), Office of Burial Services (OBS) assists individuals in need of financial assistance to meet funeral expenses for a deceased low-income New York City resident (decedent). Payment may be authorized to reimburse funeral expenses that have already been paid or pre-approval for payment may be authorized for the cost of a planned funeral. Further information can be found on the HRA Burial Assistance Website and in the below Brochure.

Burial Services Brochure

This brochure outlines how HRA’s Office of Burial Services (OBS) can provide financial assistance to help you meet the funeral expenses for a deceased low-income New York City resident. This can apply to either funeral expenses that have already been paid, or pre-approval for the cost of a planned funeral.

Open the Burial Services Outreach Brochure

Burial at City Cemetery on Hart Island

OCME's responsibility as the City mortuary includes caring for all decedents in our custody with dignity and respect. There may be times in this work when decedents are unidentified and/or not able to be claimed for private disposition. Additionally, many families choose to utilize City Cemetery as a temporary or final resting place for their loved one.

City Cemetery on Hart Island serves as New York City’s public cemetery and is maintained by the New York City HRA/Parks department. Further information on City Cemetery at Hart Island can be found on the Hart Island website. Burial in City Cemetery is free of charge and can be requested by contacting the OCME Family Outreach Unit 212-323-1350.

Hart Island Gravesite Visits

Family members and their invited guests can visit those interred on Hart Island by making arrangements in advance with the New York City HRA/Parks department, the agency responsible for maintaining the Island. For more information about the gravesite visit process, and to fill out a visit request form, please visit Hart Island Website.

The Hart Island burial site visits for family members and their invited guests described above are being provided pursuant to a proposed class action settlement agreement. Please see the Notice at the link below for more detailed information about the agreement, instructions to class members on how to inform the Court of any objection you may have to the settlement, and information about a fairness hearing to be held on December 9, 2015, at which the Court will consider any objections received, and decide whether to give final approval to the settlement.

Notice of proposed class action and fairness hearing