Bereavement Resources and Services
Losing a loved one is an extremely difficult and challenging experience. UCSF Health offers resources to help you with the most common decisions and confusing tasks faced by families and friends after the death of someone they love.
Social workers can provide emotional support and referrals to counselors and support groups. Chaplains from many faiths are available for spiritual guidance. Decedent Affairs can assist you with planning after the death of a loved one. Call (415) 353-1729 or email [email protected].
Recommended reading:
- Planning for Burial or Cremation
How to make arrangements for burial or cremation and memorials, including a directory of local funeral homes and cremation services - Practical Tasks Following Death
People, groups and institutions to notify; important documents to compile; and other tasks - Grief, Bereavement and Healing
A look at the process of grief, where to get support, and how to help children with grief - Books and Movies About Loss
Reading and watching suggestions for adults, children and teens experiencing grief
Additional resources
Many organizations provide support groups, individual counseling, 24-hour hotlines, and other services for grieving adults, teens and children. The list below includes national and Bay Area groups.
National bereavement resources
This program, developed by the National Alliance for Care at Home, offers information on grief and loss, support for grieving people, and help with finding local support groups. Email [email protected].
This nonprofit is dedicated to providing education and resources for both professional grief counselors and the families they serve. Caregivers and families can find books, magazines and workshops on grief and loss. Call (866) 218-0101.
Online and local chapters provide peer-led grief support after the death of a child. There are numerous Bay Area chapters. Call (877) 969-0010.
Grief support resources specifically for grieving children, teens and their families. Has an excellent selection of relevant books, brochures and suggested activities, as well as connections to nationwide centers offering grief counseling and related services. Call (866) 775-5683.
Help for those who cope personally and professionally with terminal illness, death, and the processes of grief and bereavement. Call (800) 854-3402.
Regional bereavement resources
A free three-day summer retreat for grieving children and teens, ages 7 to 17 (up to 18 if still in high school).
Offers both individual grief counseling and support groups for adults and children on a sliding fee scale. By the Bay Health is affiliated with UCSF and has the following Bay Area offices:
- San Francisco, (415) 927-2273
- San Mateo County, (415) 526-5699
- Marin County, (415) 526-5699
- Sonoma County, (707) 931-7299
Kaiser Permanente Northern California Hospice
Bereavement coordinators at Kaiser programs throughout the Bay Area provide short-term counseling and information on local support groups and resources. See the main web page to find the phone number of the coordinator for your area.
Pathways Home Health and Hospice
Offers individual grief counseling and support groups for children, teens and parents. Call (888) 755-7855.
San Francisco bereavement resources
San Francisco Suicide Prevention 24-Hour Hotline
Community-based suicide prevention and crisis intervention services, available 24/7. Call (415) 781-0500.
Jewish Family and Children's Services
Nondenominational bereavement support groups, workshops, individual and family counseling, healing resources and memory care services. Call (415) 449-1212.
Josie's Place for Bereaved Youth and Families
Support groups for children and teens. Call (415) 665-0255.
Grief support groups and individual counseling. In San Francisco, call (415) 749-4201.
Provides grief support resources. Call (415) 913-7682.
Peninsula and South Bay resources
Offers individual and group support for adults, children and families. Call (408) 243-0222.
Offers grief support groups for children, teenagers and adults. Call (650) 321-5272.
Mid-Peninsula Widow and Widowers Association
An in-person peer-led group providing support and social activities for people who have lost a spouse. Email [email protected].
Individual counseling, phone support and support groups for adults who have lost spouses/partners or parents. In San Mateo, call (650) 685-2830.
East Bay bereavement resources
This program, offered by East Bay Agency for Children, provides support groups and individual counseling for children, teens and families. Based in Oakland. Call (510) 531-7551.
Services include a 24-hour crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline. Offers individual counseling by trained volunteers in clients' homes or at the center’s Walnut Creek office. Also has grief support programs for adults, teens and children. For the hotline, call 988 or (800) 837-8255 or text “HOPE” to 20121.
Crisis Support Services of Alameda County
Grief support for individuals, families and groups in Alameda County. Offerings include support groups specifically for survivors of attempted suicide and for people who have lost a loved one to suicide. Call (800) 309-2131.
Hope Hospice and Health Services
Offers individual counseling and grief support groups for adults, children and teens. Call (925) 829-8770.
Jewish Family and Children's Services of the East Bay
Offers individual and family grief support. Call (925) 927-2000.
Offers individual and group grief support, art therapy and remembrance services. In Alameda County, call (510) 618-5200.
North Bay bereavement resources
Hospice Services of Lake County
Offers individual counseling and groups for children, teens and adults. Call (707) 263-6222.
Offers individual counseling and groups for children, teens and adults. Call (707) 778-6242.
Offers a variety of grief support groups, individual counseling and programs for teens and adults. In Santa Rosa. Call (707) 535-5780.
UCSF Health medical specialists have reviewed this information. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider.
