The Georgia SIDS/OID Information and Support Program educates professionals and the general public, especially pregnant women and families of newborns, about reducing the risk of SIDS through early prenatal care, prenatal smoking cessation and smoke-free environment, breast-feeding, use of firm bedding materials and positioning infants on their backs when sleeping.

Georgia Sudden Infant Death Information, Support and Referral Project

3562 Habersham @ Northlake

Building J, Suite 3

Tucker, Georgia 30084

678-342-3360 or through Powerline 1-800-822-2539

email: gasids@mindspring.com

www.sidsga.org

This group provides new parents and infant caretakers with specific health information about how to reduce the risk of infant death. They link families who experience the death of a baby with community resources, peer contact support and bereavement support resources. Staff also educates professionals and the public about how to reduce the risk of infant death and best practices surrounding infant care.

Compassionate Friends

P.O. Box 3696

Oak Brook, IL 60522

877-969-0010

www.compassionatefriends.org

Kathy Malone, Coordinator Georgia Chapters

Georgia website: www.tcfatlanta.org

Compassionate Friends is a national mutual support group designed to assist families in the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child. Online resources include articles, reflections, memorials, newsletters, suggested readings, event calendars and meeting info. Monthly meetings occur in a wide variety of locations. There are over 600 chapters across the US and over a dozen in Georgia.

The following Georgia chapters hold regular support groups for families who have lost children:

Compassionate Friends Chapters

Tucker Chapter - 7:30 PM on the second Tuesday of every month

Concurrent sibling group for ages 12 and up

First Christian Church of Atlanta

4532 LaVista Road - Tucker

Betty Mears 404-633-3326

Jayne Newton 770-923-5356

Susan Carithers 770-474-6423

Compassionate Friends Chapters – continued

Sandy Springs Chapter - 7:15 PM on the fourth Wednesday of every month

Link Counseling Center

348 Mt Vernon Highway - Sandy Springs

Muriel Littman 404-603-9942

Jonesboro Chapter - 7:30 PM on the first Monday of every month

Poston Road Baptish Church

9701 Poston Road - Jonesboro

Susan Carithers 770-474-6423

Joy Jobe 770-478-9709

Southwest Atlanta Chapter - 7:30 PM on the first Thursday of every month

Ben Hill United Methodist Church

2099 Fairburn Road - SW Atlanta

Jackie McLoyd 404-346-4217

Lawrenceville Chapter - 7:30 PM on the third Thursday of every month

First Baptist Church of Lawrenceville

165 Clayton Street - Lawrenceville

Meg Avery 770-932-5862

Athens Chapter (Northeast Georgia) - 7:30 PM on the second Monday of each month

Holy Cross Lutheran Church

800 West Lake Drive (ext of Alps Rd) - Athens

Johnnie Sue Moore 706-769-6256

Gainesville Chapter (North Georgia) - 7:30 PM on the second Thursday of every month

First United Methodist Church

2780 Thompson Bridge Road

Becky Sharpe 770-287-1235

Marietta Chapter - 7 PM on the first Tuesday of every month

Fellowship Hall - Marietta First Baptist Church

148 Church St - Marietta

Susan Van Vleck 770-499-9770

Alternate / Additional meetings on the third Tuesday of every month

Dianne Brissey 770-919-1978 1676 Valor Bridge Dr. Kennasaw

Rome Chapter - 7 PM on the second Tuesday of every month

West Rome Baptist Church

#7 Lawton Street - Rome

Sandra Stinson 706-235-6108

Ginger Miles 706-291-0355

Compassionate Friends Chapters:

Dalton Chapter - 7 PM on the third Thursday of every month

Evangelical Methodist Church

1035 Abutment Rd - Dalton

Dawn Sissons 706-277-3312

Blue-Fannin County Chapter - 7 PM on the second Thursday of every month

Family Resource Center

71 Porter Street - Blue Ridge

Lori Kleinosky 706-374-2357

e-mail: lkleinosky@direcway.com

Thomasville Chapter - 7 PM on the second Thursday of every month

Jameson Inn - Breakfast Room

1670 Remington Ave - Thomasville

Call 229-227-9500

Columbia County Chapter - 7:30 PM on the third Monday of every month

Marvin United Methodist Church

4400 Wheeler Rd - Martinez 30207

Priscilla Bence 706-650-8355

Satilla River Chapter - 7 PM on the second Thursday of every month

Brantley County Library

Highway 82 - Nahunta

Elaine Richardson 912-462-5966

Middle Georgia Chapter - 7 PM on the 4 th Thursday of every month *

The Pavilion (old Houston Mall)

Watson Boulevard - Warner Robbins

Freddy Nichols * except for November which is 3 rd Thurs and

478-923-1584 December which is special candlelight memorial

Columbus Tri-County Chapter

706-569-8400

Savannah Chapter

919-925-9549 evenings

Daytime

Emmanual County Chapter

Swainesboro

912-763-3877

Tifton Chapter

912-386-2229

Valdosta Chapter

912-242-0402

RAINBOWS

Georgia Office

1240 Johnson Ferry Pl #A50

Marietta, GA 30068

www.rainbows.org

Rainbows:

Non-profit international organization offering grief support services and training for established grief support groups in schools, churches, synagogues, hospitals or social service organizations. Programs available for children, adolescents and adults. Over 200 program sites in Georgia. Call for listing.

Verdery Counseling Service - Georgia Baptist Health Care System

100 Tenth St. NW - 8 th Floor Atlanta, GA 30309

404-253-3253

The Georgia Baptist Health Care System operates 27 counseling centers in Georgia. Trained counselors are available by appointment to provide grief counseling and support. Fees vary; some locations offer sliding scales. The location phone #s are:

Atlanta-Downtown 404-253-3252 Griffin 770-227-8741

Atlanta-Buckhead 404-253-2559 Macon 478-741-2067

Atlanta-Chamblee 770-216-8311 Manchester 706-846-9336

Atlanta-Lenox 404-814-4477 Marietta 770-424-1770

Carrollton 770-832-6359 Newnan 770-253-5177

Clayton 706-201-9344 Roswell 770-915-2537

Columbus 706-323-1379 Royston 706-245-1861

Conyers 404-253-2537 Stockbridge 770-506-9575

Cumming 678-513-2251 770-507-4124

Douglasville 404-253-2528 Stone Mtn 770-469-6547

Duluth 770-476-3788 Thomaston 706-647-9072

Dunwoody 770-280-1244 Toccoa 706-886-6822

Fairburn 770-964-1431 Tucker 404-253-2555

Gainesville 404-253-2523 770-785-9297

ATLANTA / NORTH GEORGIA

Share Atlanta, Inc.

PMB 212

9925 Haynes Bridge Rd Ste 200-212

Alpharetta, GA 30022

Phone 770-928-9603

www.shareatlanta.org (see earlier listings)

Share Atlanta is a non-profit organization dealing with pregnancy and newborn loss. It is organized by volunteers who are healed bereaved parents. Share Atlanta runs group support meetings dealing with subsequent pregnancy as well as grief. They offer memorials, grief information, outreach and inservice programs. Their focus is on loss during pregnancy, stillborns and infants who never leave the hospital though they welcome SIDS parents.

H.O.P.E. (Helping Other Parents Endure)

Northeast Georgia Medical Center

743 Spring Street,NE

Gainesville, GA 30501

Nikki Fields, Facilitator

Margaret Halsey, OB Educator, Program Contact

770-531-3881

Support group meets the third Thursday of even-numbered months at 7:30 PM in the Essentially for Women Building across from the Medical Center.

H.O.P.E. (Helping Other Parents Endure)

First Baptist Church of Marietta

148 Church St

Marietta, GA 30067

Renee Kane, Facilitator

770-426-9291

Support groups meets the first Tuesday of every month at the First Baptist Church of Marietta. Meetings are in conjunction with Compassionate Friends and there is a breakout group for infant loss.

The Front Porch of Atlanta

P.O. Box 2908

Decatur, GA 30031

Ruth Echols, Program Director

770-908-2544

www.thefrontporch.org

The Front Porch of Atlanta provides a safe and supportive environment that promotes healing for children who have experienced the death of a loved one. Grief support groups are offered to children and their families at no charge. The sibling group meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month in Brookhaven. While children participate in meetings, adults gather separately for support. Call the Program Director to set up an intake meeting.

Hillcrest Church of Christ

1939 Snapfinger Rd

Decatur, GA 30035

404-289-4573

www.hillcrestchurchofchrist .

Hillcrest Church of Christ offers bereavement counseling and runs grief support sessions 2-3 times per year. A 6-week session on Monday evenings begins September 9.

The Link Counseling Center

348 Mount Vernon Hwy NE

Atlanta, GA 30328

404-256-9797 Cobb Co #: 770-541-1114

www.thelink.org

The Link is a national resource for suicide prevention and aftercare. It is a non-profit counseling center which provides affordable, confidential short and long term psychotherapy as well as support groups and educational programs. Programs are available for children in crisis and grief. There are two main offices in the Atlanta area, one in Atlanta and one in Cobb County. Support groups are organized periodically based on client needs.

Family Counseling Services

1435 Ogelthorpe Ave.

Athens, GA 30606

706-549-7755

Individualized grief counseling is available on a sliding scale fee structure ($30-$80 depending upon family income). Office open Mon thru Fri 9-5 or by appointment.

The following mental health clinics in metro Atlanta provide assessment and referral services on a walk-in basis (with the exception of Central Fulton where it is necessary to go first to Grady Psychiatric (see Crisis Intervention). Sliding scale fee structure is available in Fulton County.

Central Fulton Mental Health Center (Florida Hall)

80 Jessie Hill Dr Atlanta, GA 30303

404-616-4743

Hours: 24 hrs/day, 7 days/week

Northside Mental Health Center

5825 Glenridge Dr Atlanta, GA

404-851-8950

Hours: 8am-5pm Mon-Fri

South Fulton Mental Health Center

1636 Connally Dr , East Point, GA

404-762-4042

Hours: 8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri

South Central Fulton Mental Health Center

215 Lakewood Way, Rm 205 SW Atlanta, GA

404-624-0610

West Fulton Mental Health Center

475 Fairburn Rd SW Atlanta, GA

404-691-9627

Hours: 8am-5pm Mon-Fri

Kirkwood (DeKalb Co) Mental Health Center

23 Warren St, SE Atlanta, GA

404-370-7360

Hours: 8:15am-5pm Mon-Fri

Winn Way Center (Dekalb County)

445 Winn Way, Decatur,GA

404-508-7700

Hours: 8am-5pm Mon-Fri

North DeKalb Mental Health Center

3807 Clairmont Rd, Chamblee, GA

770-454-1144

Hours: 8:15am-5pm Mon-Fri

Clifton Springs (DeKalb Co) Mental Health Center

3110 Clifton Springs Rd Ste B, Decatur,GA

404-243-9500 Evenings 404-892-4646

Hours: 8:15am-5pm Mon-Fri; crisis intervention 24/7

East DeKalb Mental Health Center

2277 S. Stone Mountain Rd, Lithonia, GA

770-484-2600

Hours: 8:15am-5pm Mon-Fri

Compassionate Friends Chapters

See locations in State-wide section

CRISIS INTERVENTION - ATLANTA METRO

Trained counselors are available at the offices/hours listed below to provide assessment, referral and if necessary, immediate help.

Fulton County Emergency Mental Health Services

141 Pryor St Ste 4039 Atlanta, GA 30303

404-730-1600

Open 7 days/week, 24 hrs/day. Services include hotline for emotional crisis, depression, suicide, abuse, family conflict, mental illness and substance abuse crisis counseling. Crisis intervention visits and evaluations conducted by the mobile crisis team. ____________________________________________________________________________________

DeKalb County Emergency Mental Health Services

445 Winn Way, Decatur,GA 30030

404-892-4646

Hours 8:15AM-5PM Monday - Friday; Crisis Intervention 24 hrs/ 7 days/week. Trained counselors are available at all times; a mobile crisis team is available within DeKalb County from 3-11 PM if needed.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Grady Hospital Adult Psychiatric Emergency Clinic

80 Jessie Hill Jr Drive, SE Atlanta, 30303

404-616-4762

This emergency clinic operates 24 hours/day, 7 days/week and treats walk-ins. Assessment and referrals available.

MACON / CENTRAL GEORGIA

First Christian Church of Perry

2100 Macon Road

Perry, GA 31069

478-987-5428

Staff at the church provide assistance with grief and are available Monday thru Friday from 9-3. A bereavement support group meets at the church regularly. Call for details.

Resolve Through Sharing

Medical Center of Central Georgia

811 Hemlock Street

Macon, GA 31201

Cheryl Kish, Support Group Coordinator

tiggkish@yahoo.com

A parent support group dealing with grief over loss meets the third Tuesday of each month in Building C at the Coliseum Medical Center.

Christian Counseling Services

1415 Bass Road

Macon, GA 31210

478-474-7101

Individualized grief counseling is available Monday thru Friday 8:30-5:30 and by appointment. There is a $65 fee. They provide services in the following counties: Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Hancock, Houston, Monroe, Peach, Putnam, Twiggs, Washington and Wilkinson.

Family Therapy Center

857 Orange Terrace

Macon, GA 31202

478-301-5970

This center is operated by the Mercer School of Medicine on a sliding scale fee structure. The office is open Wednesday and Thursday from 11 AM - 7 PM. Serves all of middle Georgia.

HELPLINE - 706-327-9999

Crisis Intervention HotLine

United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley

1100 - 5 th Ave

Columbus, GA 31901

706-327-3255

Silent Footprints Support Group

Volunteer Services Suite,

The Medical Center

710 Center Street ,

Columbus, Georgia 31901

Call 571-1103

Compassionate Friends Chapters

Thomasville Chapter – 7 PM on the second Thursday of every month

Jameson Inn – Breakfast Room

1670 Remington Ave – Thomasville

229-227-9500

Satilla River Chapter - 7 PM on the second Thursday of every month

Brantley County Library

Highway 82 - Nahunta

Elaine Richardson 912-462-5966

Middle Georgia Chapter - 7 PM on the 4 th Thursday of every month *

The Pavilion (old Houston Mall)

Watson Boulevard - Warner Robbins

Freddy Nichols * except for November which is 3 rd Thurs and

478-923-1584 December which is special candlelight memorial

Columbus Tri-County Chapter

706-569-8400

AUGUSTA / SAVANNAH / SOUTH GEORGIA

Bereaved Parents of the USA

Central Savannah River Area Chapter - Augusta

Christa Haitiwanger, DM

27 Converse Drive, Aiken, SC 29803

(803) 648-4587

www.bereavedparentsusa.org

Bereaved Parents of the USA aids and supports bereaved families who are struggling to survive their grief after the death of a child. The Georgia chapter is located in Augusta. Meetings are held the first Thursday of every month at the Millbrook Baptish Church in Aiken, S.C., the second Thursday at the Shepard’s Corner (behind Baptist Church) at 253 Jackson St. in Thomson, GA and the third Thursday at the Aldersgate United Methodist Church at 3185 Wheeler Rd in Augusta, GA. Meetings begin at 7:30 PM.

Parents Healing Together

Chaplain Amy Mears, University Hospitals

1350 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30901

706-774-5800

A support group for parents who have experienced pregnancy, stillborn, neonatal or SIDS loss meets the first Monday of each month at 7PM in the hospital cafeteria.

Angels Touch Ministry

Kathy Stitt, Coordinator

Trinity on the Hill United Methodist Church

1330 Monte Santo Ave, Augusta, GA 30904

706-738-8822

A support group for parents who’ve suffered prenatal, neonatal, infant or child loss meets the second Thursday of each month at 7 PM at the church. Currently, a sibling group meets concurrently.

MISS Foundation - Georgia

Ricky Wildes, Program Contact

Douglas, GA 31534

912-384-1900

www.missfoundation.org

The MISS Foundation is a national non-profit group which provides online newsletters, stories, suportive information and memorials for anyone grieving the death of an infant or toddler. The Georgia support group meets the third Monday of each month at 7 PM in the Coffee Regional Medical Center in Douglas.

Medical College of Georgia -Children’s Medical Center

1916 North Leg Road, Augusta, GA 30909

Teasa Sheridan, Family Support Coordinator

706-721-2929

Individual and group support is available through the Coordinator and Medical Center chaplains.

Family Counseling Center of the Central Savannah River Area, Inc.

630 Ellis Street

Augusta, GA 30901

706-722-6512

Clinical social workers are available to provide grief counseling to individuals and families regardless of ability to pay.

Compassionate Friends Chapters

Satilla River Chapter - 7 PM on the second Thursday of every month

Brantley County Library

Highway 82 - Nahunta

Elaine Richardson 912-462-5966

Savannah Chapter

919-925-9549 evenings

Daytime

Emmanual County Chapter

Swainesboro

912-763-3877

Tifton Chapter

912-386-2229

Valdosta Chapter

912-242-0402

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