This paper describes the results of an evaluation of the Palliative Care Service, one of the first hospices in North America (Montreal), and the implications of that research for social policy development. The objectives of the research were to evaluate the reliability of predictive assessments of bereavement risk and the effectiveness of bereavement follow-up using trained and lay volunteers, to compare palliative care and general hospital wards, to ascertain if there are cultural differences in bereavement for English and French speaking groups, and to study bereavement over time. Four major results indicated that bereavement risk can be predicted in a normal population, intervention is helpful for some high risk people but not for others, the grieving process may be very different for men and women, and there are cultural differences in the bereavement process. The discussion of the implications of the research findings for policy formation focuses on evaluating the need for prevention programs, the use of professional personnel, health care costs, and the role of community psychologists in alleviating bereavement. (MCF)