About Youth Bereavement Care
Founded in 2020, Good Samaritan Hospice Youth Bereavement Care grew by addressing the need to find innovative ways to reach grieving children.
The service offers free support and programs to any children and young adults (up to age 21) impacted by the death of a significant person in their lives.
In addition to serving families from our hospice and extended Concordia network, Youth Bereavement Care opens its doors to the greater community as well. In a world where everyone is apart, our goal is for bereaved youth to know they are not alone.
To learn more about our youth bereavement care, call toll free at 1-800-720-2557.
Youth Bereavement Services
YBC provides grieving children, teens and young adults with resources, individualized support and year-round connection with other families who are grieving. The programs support these young humans as they navigate their own unique grief journey. In addition to being FREE, the programs include a variety of virtual and in-person programming:
- Youth bereavement quarterly events
- Group story reading with grief-oriented discussion
- Arts and crafts for emotional expression
- Music for emotional expression
- Youth story, poem and letter writing to share their grief journey
- Remembrance of the deceased
- Tips and tutorials on learning coping skills and relaxation methods to manage emotional stress
- Individual bereavement support for youths
- Bereavement support for caregivers and family members
- Grief education
- Community resource referrals
- Grief support check-in calls with family and youths
- Toll free hotline (1-800-720-2557) to reach bereavement or spiritual coordinators Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Youth Bereavement Care Staff
As part of the YBC team, grief and bereavement experts as well as clinicians trained in child mental and behavioral health provide connective resources within the grief community.
Enrollment
Rolling referrals accepted year-round. For more information, please call 1-800-720-2557 to speak with a youth bereavement staff member and remember, you are not alone.
Please visit our Facebook page for updates and interactions with other group members. On Facebook, search: GSH Youth Bereavement Care Family Support Group.
Upcoming Youth Bereavement Events
- Oct. 14: Youth Bereavement Event, 1 to 4 p.m., at the Good Samaritan Hospice in Middlesex Township, Butler County, 116 Browns Hill Road, Valencia, PA 16059.
- Nov. 11: Holiday Workshop, 9 a.m. to noon, at the Good Samaritan Hospice in Middlesex Township, Butler County, 116 Browns Hill Road, Valencia, PA 16059. More details coming soon.
Event dates and locations may change.
For detailed information on our Youth Bereavement
Get More Information About Youth Bereavement Care
2022 Children’s Grief Awareness Day
Created in 2008 by the Highmark Caring Place, Children’s Grief Awareness Day is observed every year on the third Thursday in November. This time of year is a particularly appropriate time to support grieving children because the holiday season is often an especially difficult time after a death.
Each year, campuses across Concordia Lutheran Ministries wear blue in honor of Children’s Grief Awareness Day. The hope is to raise awareness about the needs of grieving children and the benefits of available support and programs. Children’s Grief Awareness Day is an opportunity to make sure that grieving children receive the support they need.
Before they graduate from high school, one out of every 20 children will have a parent die—and that number doesn’t include those who experience the death of a brother or sister, a close grandparent, an aunt or uncle, or friend.
Children’s Grief Awareness Day
Related Bereavement Content
The Importance of Grief and Youth Bereavement Care | Podcast
Concordia Events: 2022 Year in Review