Support Groups : National and Local

Local Regional Groups

HAND of the Bay Area
P.O. Box 3693
Redwood City, CA 94064

HAND of the Bay Area has chapters in the North Bay (Marin/Sonoma), San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara (Los Gatos) and Santa Cruz.

The Compassionate Friends Counseling for parents grieving the death of a child. Grandparents and adult siblings welcome. Newsletter, lending library and referrals available.

Alameda County Chapter
Meetings in Oakland 510-835-3579

Contra Costa Chapter
Meetings in Richmond and Walnut Creek 925-284-2273

Santa Clara Chapter
Meetings in Santa Clara (408) 356-0641

Merced, California Meetings
Facilitator, Kim Lotz
Kim.Lotz@missfoundation.org
First Tuesday of every month
7pm-8:30pm at Luke’s Espiscopal
350 West Yosemite Avenue

Sacramento Sharing Parents (Affiliated with the SHARE)
P.O. Box 198
Carmichael, CA 95609
(916) 424-5150
Website: http://sharingparents.org

Women’s Miscarriage Support Group John Muir Medical Center, 1601 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek, CA 94598 (925) 939-3000 This support group is for anyone who has experienced a miscarriage. Receive helpful advice, gentle guidance and coming to terms with the loss you have experienced. There will be ongoing support toward becoming pregnant again.

Bereavement

Bebitos Angelitos – Angel Babies of Hinds Hospice
Based in Fresno, CA. Angel Babies is composed of a perinatal hospice program and a bereavement program. Perinatal hospice provides support and anticipatory guidance to families who have a baby diagnosed with a life limiting condition during pregnancy. The program assists families to both welcome and enjoy their baby and when necessary to say good-bye. Information discussed includes normal anticipatory grief reactions; birth planning; creating memories; including other children and family members; birth/death announcements; memorial/funeral service planning, visitations, and much more.

1616 West Shaw Ave. Suite B-6
Fresno, CA 93711
559-226-5683
Website: http://www.hindshospice.org/

Center for Living With Dying 554 Mission Park Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95054-1702 408-980-9801 Emotional support, crisis intervention, education regarding issues of loss, trauma, illness, stress, and grief.

Community Hospice, Inc. 601 McHenry Avenue, Modesto, CA 95350 209-577-0615

Hospice of Contra Costa 2051 Harrison Street, Concord, CA 94520 510-609-1830

Hope Hospice – Bereavement Support Program 6500 Dublin Boulevard, Suite 100, Dublin, CA 94568 510-829-8770

KARA 457 Kingsley Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94301 650-321-5272 Provides individual counseling, group facilitation, crisis intervention, community education, and information to individuals, families and community groups who are living with issues of life-threatening illness, limited life expectancy, death and grief.

Sutter VNA & Hospice 1110 N. Dutton Ave Santa Rosa, CA (707) 542-5045 (Ask for Bereavement Department)
Website: http://vnahnc.org

Touchstone Support Network 3041 Olcott Street, Santa Clara, CA 95054-3222 408-727- 5775 Provides emotional and practical support services for children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses and their families.

Genetic Support

Genetic Support Group 2340 Ward Street, Suite 204, Berkeley, CA 94705 510-845-4656 Ongoing open support group and individual or couples counseling for parents who have terminated a pregnancy due to genetic abnormalities in the fetus. Group is facilitated by a psychologist and a genetic counselor Group is sponsored by Kaiser, but you do not need to be a Kaiser member.

Surviving Painful Decisions Genetic Support Group 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford CA 94305-5317 650-723-5198 Provides support for couples and individuals who are considering terminating or have terminated a pregnancy due to genetic abnormalities in the fetus. Connected with Stanford Medical Center. Provides referrals to similar resources.

SIDS

SIDS Alliance of Northern California 1324 Bodega Place, Walnut Creek, CA 94597 Website: www.sidsnc.org
E-mail: info@sidsnc.org
Phone: 1-877-938-SIDS (7437) toll free in California

National Groups

A Place To Remember 1885 University Ave., #110, St. Paul, MN 55104 1-800-631-0973. Sells birth/death announcement cards, comfort/sympathy cards, anniversary/special day cards, baby memory box and memory book, books on the topic of perinatal loss, and other support materials.

AMEND (Aiding a Mother [& Father] Experiencing Neonatal Death) 4324 Berrywick Terrace, St. Louis, MO 63128 314-487-7582. Coordinates one-on-one peer phone counseling for parents who need understanding and caring through others listening.

CLIMB, Inc. PO Box 1064, Palmer, AK 99645 907-746-6123. A support network by and for parents who have experienced the death of one or more, both or all babies from a twin or higher multiple pregnancy, during pregnancy, at or after birth, or in childhood.

The Compassionate Friends, Inc., National Headquarters PO Box 3696, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3696 630-990-0010. A self-help organization of bereaved parents with many local chapters. For families who have had a child of any age die from any cause.

Miss Foundation P.O. Box 9195, Austin TX 78766 602-279-MISS (6477) or 888-455-MISS (6477) The MISS Foundation, established in 1996 by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore, is an international 501(c)3, volunteer based organization providing C.A.R.E. [counseling, advocacy, research, and education] services to families experiencing the death of a child. Check their web site to locate a chapter near you: https://missfoundation.org/

Perinatal Loss Project 2116 NE 18th Avenue, Portland, OR 97212-2621 503-284-7426. Booklets, cards and videos available for purchase.

RTS Bereavement Services, (Resolve Through Sharing) Gunderson Lutheran Medical Center, 1910 South Ave., LaCrosse, WI 54601 1-800-362-9567, ext. 4747. Email: BERSERVS@LHL.GUNDLUTH.ORG. Hospital-based organization offering a support group, literature, and professional education after miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death.

SHARE (National Office), St. Joseph’s Health Center 300 First Capitol Drive, St. Charles, MO 63301-2893 1-800-821-6819. Offers support to families who have had a miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death. Provides a newsletter, network of worldwide support groups, literature and referrals.