BC Bereavement Helpline

Support Groups for Loss due to Substance Use

Crossroads Hospice Society - Offers a support group for loss due to substance use for residents in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody. Phone number 604-945-0606.   

Fraser Health -Community Subtance Use Services Clinic - Surrey provides support to individuals who are experiencing substance use and their significant others affected by it. It is a self-refer walking progarm offering serivices on Monday- Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at 13670 94A Avenue, phone: 604-580-4950. This program provides information, assessment, referral and counselling services in various formats.This services is only for residents of Surrey. 

Healing Hearts Canada - A peer-based monthly support group program for families and loved ones who have lost someone to a substance related passing. Please click link for all groups offered in B.C.

Langley Hospice Society - Provides 10 week Support Group for parents who have lost their children to substance use and suicide. Service located in Langley area. For more information, please contact the Bereavement Support Coordinator linda@langleyhospice.ca or call 604-530- 1115. 

Nanaimo Hospice Society- Offers a structured eight-weeks support progarm for adults who have experince a loss of a loved one by suicide, violence, or substance use related death. This services is offered in Nanaimo B.C. Phone number 250-591-8811. 

Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society -  Offers support to parents who have lost children to overdose. For more information call 250-563-2551. This service is located in Prince George B.C.

Valley View Funeral Home - Runs support groups for loss due to substance use in the Vancouver, Surrey area. Support groups are offer two or three times a year for eight weeks. For more information please call 604-312- 0484. or email tkeith@arbormemorial.com

G.O.A. - Grief On Arrival - is an anonymous faciliated peer bereavement group for those who have lost a loved one due to overdose. Two meetings are offer weekly with an 8- week rotating education program. Mondays is an open group for sharing experiences, strengths and hopes; and Thursday is an educational group where information and tools  around grief will be offer it. Where: 502 Columbia Street, New Westminster, B.C. When: Mondays (peer group) and Thursdays (facilitated education group) 6pm to 8pm. This program start date is Monday December 5th.  For more info visit website purposesociety.org or phone 604-526-2522 or via emial to mail@purposesociety.org. 

Traumatic Loss Support Groups Related to Substance Use Loss

Chilliwack Hospice society -Provides a Traumatic Loss Grief Support Group for families and friends who have had loss loved ones due to, but not limited to suicide, homicide, accident, substance use, or physical illness. This grief support is offer once per week for eight sessions in . Please contact 604-794-4660 for registration

Cowichan Hospice Society - Runs a Traumatic Loss Support Group located in Duncan area. Please call 250-701-4242 or email frontdesk@cowichanhospice.org for more information.

Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley - Offers support groups sessions on traumatic deaths such as suicide, accidental, drug overdose or sudden loss. This services is located in Invermere B.C. For additional information call 778-526-5143 or via email info@hospicesocietycv.com

Sacred Journey's Pathway - Provides an eight- week Trauma Loss Support Group for those who have lost a loved on due to homicide, suicide, or substance use. This grief support offers a safe place for you to tell your story to others who can relate to your feelings of grief. This services is available in the are of New Westminister, Vancouver B.C. Please click link for more information and registration. There is a fee associeted with this service. 

Survivor Resources - Offers grief support and other services for families of victims of death due to subtance use, homicide, and suicide. This support services is located in Minnesota, USA. Click this link for more information. 

Terrace Hospice Society -  Provides eight week traumatic loss grief support for participants who have experienced a loss by homicide, suicide, substance use or other traumatic death. For registartion call 250-635-4811. This support service is located in Terrace B.C. 

Online Resources – Loss Due to Substance Use

7 Ways Grief is Compounded by an Overdose Death

BC Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU)

Drug and Alcohol Related Bereavement Project - Adfam

Article: Parental Grief After a Child's Drug Death...

Download: The BC Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU) "Gone Too Soon" Grief Handbook To order a physical copy of the Gone Too Soon Grief Handbook, Click Here.

Brochure: Helping Yourself Heal When Someone You Care About Dies of a Drug Overdose by Dr. Alan Wolfelt - available through the BC Bereavement Helpline. Please click here to order.

The G.A.P. Network Grief and Addiction Support Resource List - A resource list with emphasis on social media communities, compiled by individuals who have lost loved ones to drug overdose.

From Grief to Action - A voice and support network for families and friends affected by substance use.

Moms Stop the Harm is an advocacy group consisting of a network of Canadian mothers and families whose loved ones have died due to substance use, or hope for recovery. You can join as a Network Ally or Network Member. Click here for their Facebook page.

Nar-Anon - The Nar-Anon Family Groups is primarily for those who know or have known a feeling of desperation concerning the addiction problem of someone very newar to you. Click here for BC Nar-Anon Meetings.

Parents Forever - Supporting families affected by substance use. Parents Forever is a professionally supported, mutual support group for parents and family members of adult addicted children (18 years of age and up) located in Vancouver.

When someone has died related to substance use - This resource has been designed to help you understand and care for yourself as you grieve. It was developed by the Canadian Virtual Hospice in collaboration with national grief specialists and people who have grieved a substance-related death. We are grateful to those who shared their wisdom and experiences.