Speak the Unspoken: Resources
Below are community resources for helping with trauma and loss. Organizations fall under three categories: coping with infant loss, resources for youth, and general trauma support resources.
Coping with Infant Loss
Birthing Beautiful Communities (BBC)
Phone numbers: (216) 307-1538 Office; (216) 402-0924 Emergency Hotline
Address: 1921 East 66th, Cleveland, Ohio 44103
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 10 am to 5 pm; Thursday: 12 pm to 8 pm
BBC is a team of community members trained as doulas and perinatal support people who provide education and support to expecting mothers, as well as services for mothers who have experienced infant loss. BBC is designed to uplift and inspire communities through babies. Target areas are the neighborhoods with the highest rates of infant deaths in the city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County: Greater University Circle (Hough, Fairfax, Buckeye-Shaker, East Cleveland, Glenville), as well as Kinsman, Lee-Harvard, Maple Hts., Garfield Hts., Warrensville Hts., and Ohio City.
Share Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support
Phone Number: 800-821-6819
Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support is a community for anyone who experiences the death of a baby. Share is a national organization with over 75 chapters in 29 states (see Northeast Ohio chapters below). Services include bedside companions, phone support, face-to-face support group meetings, resource packets, private online communities, memorial events, training for caregivers, and more.
Northeast Ohio Share chapters and support groups:
Akron
RTS Bereavement Support Group
Akron City Hospital, 525 East Market Street, Akron, OH 44309
330-375-3525
Akron Children's Hospital, One Perkins Square, Akron, OH 44308
234-738-0111
Group meets on 3rd Tuesday 7:30-9:30pm in Considine Professional Bldg, Rm 7 & 8
Canton
Compassionate Care Center Grief Services
Aultman Hospital, Woodlawn Campus, 2821 Woodlawn Ave, Canton, OH 44708
330-479-4835
Cleveland
PEND (Parents who have Experienced a Neonatal Death)
Rainbow Babies Hospital, 2074 Abington Road, Cleveland, OH 44106
216-844-3754
FEEL (Family Experiencing Early Loss)
Fairview Hospital 18101 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44111
Group meets on the 1st Thursday of the month 7:30pm in meeting room C
216-476-7120 or leave voicemail at 216-476-6965
Lakewood
Grief and Loss Group
13705 Madison Ave., Lakewood, OH 44107
Group meets 2nd Tuesday 7-9pm
circleoflifebirthservices@gmail.com
216-299-8522
Mayfield Heights
Love Lives
On 6780 Mayfield Rd., Mayfield Heights, OH 44124
440-312-4692
Group meets 3rd Thursday of the month from 7:30-9 pm
Youngstown
HEAL (Helping Each Other After Loss)
Amanda St. Elizabeth Health Center, 1044 Belmont Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44501
330-480-3149
Still Standing Magazine: Surviving the aftermath of loss and infertility
Still Standing is an online publication that publishes personal narratives written by parents (male and female) who have lost a child and/or experienced infertility. The focus of this magazine is to give a voice to grief, connect people around the world who have similar life experiences, and act as a resource for friends, family and medical professionals, to know how to support someone enduring child loss and/or infertility. The magazine also has an active Facebook page.
Address: 11000 Cedar Avenue – 4th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44106
Phone Number: 216-368-4837
First Year Cleveland is a “community movement committed to ensuring that every baby born in Cuyahoga County will celebrate their first birthday.” It is comprised of 11 community-wide action teams that address issues related to infant mortality. The organization also offers a 24-hour confidential online chat through the United Way. A link to the chat is here.
Resources for Youth
Golden Ciphers, Inc. Youth Development and Cultural Arts Center
Phone number: (216) 574-4888
Address: 5704 Broadway Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44127
Golden Ciphers is an African American grassroots organization designed to assist in reconnecting family structures and recreating communities. The Golden Ciphers program provides accountability-based services to assist in reducing disproportionate minority contact (DMC) among juveniles ages 12 – 17 who are referred by law enforcement personnel, the juvenile court, county prosecutor, and schools as a result of law enforcement action or a complaint.
Phone number: 216-905-0803
Address: 13815 Kinsman Avenue, Suite 104, Cleveland, Ohio 44120
MyCom is a network of people who believe youth development is a direct path to healthy, safe communities for everyone. MyCom’s mission is to connect young people in Greater Cleveland with the positive experiences and caring adults they need to lead good lives.
Just Keep Livin -- John Adams High School and Martin Luther King Jr. High School
Contact: Della A. Ware Rembert - (216) 838-4099
Just Keep Livin is an after school fitness/wellness program that encourages students to make positive life choices that improve their physical and mental health through exercise, teamwork, gratitude, nutrition, and community service. Founded by Matthew and Camila McConaughey, the goal of the organization is to “prevent so we don’t have to cure later in life” and aims to achieve that through changing kids’ habits early. Participating students have a safe place to enhance their lives with fitness coaches and health experts.
My Brother’s Keeper of Northeast Ohio
Phone number: (330) 227-8347
Address: 915 E Market St, East Akron, Ohio 44305
My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) aims to build strong, healthy relationships between men in Northeast Ohio.
General Trauma Support Resources
Circle Health Services Trauma Recovery Center
Phone Number: (216) 721-4010
Address: 12201 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106. It is accessible via the Health Line bus or the Red Line Rapid via the East 120th Street stop.
Hours: Monday, Wednesday & Thursday from 9:00 am – 9:00 pm; Tuesday & Friday from 9:00 am – 5:30 pm; and two Saturdays a month from 8:30 am – 3:00 pm. Walk-in hours are available Monday – Friday from 9:00am – 3:00pm and same day appointments are always available.
The Trauma Recovery Center of Circle Health Services offers free, confidential assistance to help adults in Cleveland and its eastern suburbs overcome the traumatic effects of violence. The Trauma Recovery Center is staffed by licensed professionals dedicated to helping people recover from violence, restore well-being, and rebuild their lives. Call or text (216) 644-5847 for free, confidential services, day or night.
The Center on Trauma and Adversity at Case Western Reserve University
Phone number: 216.368.1655
Address: 11235 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, OH 44106
Email: traumacenter@case.edu
The center is part of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. It provides trauma-focus research and training to students enrolled in the social work graduate students. The center also hosts a monthly program entitled “Healing Network Nights” which are open to anyone who is in a helping profession. They aim to foster social connections and quality relationships, enhance interprofessional collaboration and community, and promote a more resilient network of trauma-informed professionals across the city and surrounding areas. They offer a free meal as well as self-care resources at the gatherings held the last Thursday of every month.
Professional Black Christian Therapist Network
Phone number: 800-574-7178
The Professional Black Christian Therapist Network is a consortium of Christian counselors, social workers, therapists, mentors, consultants, and service providers within the greater Cleveland area. Members are subject matter experts in the field of counseling, therapy, mental health, and wellness within the black church.
Project Thrive
Phone Number: 216-778-8176
Address: 600 W Superior Ave, Cleveland, OH 44114
A faith-based collaborative that provides healing circles within churches, resources and supports to community members who have experienced the impact of trauma.
MetroHealth Trauma Recovery Center
Email: traumarecoverysvcs@metrohealth.org
Phone number: 216-778-3602
Provides support to victims of crime and their families, free of charge. Services include peer mentorship, counseling, advocacy, care coordination, basic needs support and victim compensation for those who are eligible. Services are available across Ohio. For information regarding support groups, contact Megen Betts at mbetts@metrohealth.org.
Trauma Recovery Center at May Dugan Center
Phone numbers:
Main Intake Line 216-631-3886
Care Coordinator 216-631-5800 x140
The May Dugan Center provides comprehensive health and human service programs to individuals and families in Cleveland. The Trauma Recovery Center at May Dugan Center was established to support individuals after a traumatic event resulting from a criminal act against one’s person.
Services available 7-days a week by calling 216-631-3886. Full-service, immediate community response including advocacy with medical and law enforcement, stabilization and transportation, individual and family therapy, and long-term social service support. Culturally responsive and LBGTQ+ affirming: everyone is welcome.
Cornerstone of Hope Support Groups
Address: 5905 Brecksville Road
Independence, Ohio 44131
Phone number: 216.524.HOPE(4673)
Link to support group schedules: http://cornerstoneofhope.org/images/documents/SG_Listing-2019-10-30.pdf
Topics related to grief are explored each week and opportunities are provided for participants to explore their healing process. Most of Cornerstone's support groups are offered at no cost. There is a $10/session fee for the Transcending Grief Series. To register for one of these groups, please call (216) 524-4673.
Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition (NEOBHC)
Phone number: 216-295-0283
Email: NEOBHC@hotmail.com
According to Founder Yvonka Hall, the Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition is the first organization in Ohio to focus exclusively on African American disparities in education, employment, housing and health by working to educate, advocate for and empower the community.
Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance
Phone number: 216-883-2106
The Peacemakers Alliance employs outreach workers, including some former gang members, who have street credibility. The group is involved in mediation, gang interaction, violence prevention, conflict resolution, case management, family services and intervention following violent incidents.
