Resources
Information on Crisis Supports for youth, new parents, and more
Banana’s Warmline Coaching
Raising kids is the most creative and rewarding thing a person can do! However, kids do not come with instructions and this can be a curious and challenging experience. BANANAS wants to support you through our FREE Warm Line Parent Coaching program. Parent coaches will listen to your concerns and provide advice and referrals for services to support your family. Each family completing the first round of coaching sessions with related evaluations will receive a gift card! Contact us at warmline@bananasbunch.org with questions.
Internet Safety for Kids/Youth:
Crisis Support for Youth:
DreamCatchers https://covenanthousecalifornia.org/
Crisis Support Services of Alameda County
24-hour Crisis Line 1-800-273-8255
Text SAFE to 20121 Hours: 4:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. 7 days a week. Alameda County residents only
Fees: No charge from Crisis Support Services. Text STOP to opt out.
https://www.crisissupport.org/resources/suicide-prevention/youth/
Bay Area Women Against Rape (BAWAR) 24-hour hotline English & Spanish 510-845-7273
New Parents:
Safe Sleep info: https://acphd.org/sids/frequently-asked-questions-(faqs)-about-sids-and-safe-infant-sleep/
Breastfeeding Support Guide Alameda County Breastfeeding Support Guide.pdf (constantcontact.com)
Referrals, hotlines and helplines:
Eden Information and Referrals Dial 2-1-1 or http://edenir.org/
Alameda County Resource Guide – Spanish: Alameda County Resources Complete.pdf
Alameda County Public Health Resource Guides https://acphd.org/resource-guides/
County Resources https://www.hayward-ca.gov/police-department/public-services/youth-family-services-bureau//resources-0
Family Paths Parenting Stress Helpline 1-800-829-3777
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
Family Education and Resource Center Warm line -888-896-3372
City of Fremont Caregiver Supports
American Indian Child Resource Center 510-208-1870
Youth Uprising Based in East Oakland, develops the leadership of youth and young adults 510-777-9909
Youth Spirit Artworks Interfaith art jobs and job training programs that empower homeless and low income SF Bay Area young people ages 16-25
Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect: Signs and Symptoms
The first step in helping abused or neglected children is learning to recognize the signs of child abuse and neglect. Download the pamphlet below for more information:
SAFE SURRENDER
Don’t think you can care for your newborn?
If so, The Safe Surrender Program (SSP) may be right for you.
The SSP was developed for parents questioning their ability to safely care for their new baby. The program provides a means for parents to surrender a newborn safely, legally, and anonymously at a hospital or fire station rather than abandoning the baby in an unsafe location. The surrender must take place within 72 hours of the baby’s birth.
You may have heard or read stories about babies being abandoned in unsafe locations and the consequences for the babies. For many of the responsible parents, the act of abandonment was brought on by an overwhelming sense of panic accompanied by the lack of support for the pregnancy and/or a traumatic phobia about their fate if their secret (the pregnancy and baby) is discovered and goes public.
Those concerns are exacerbated in the current COVID-19 pandemic which has produced increased challenges for all of us—including families welcoming newborns. But thankfully, help is available, and the Safe Surrender Program (SSP) is one example of that help. If the SSP could help your family, we encourage you to use it.
Thanks to the Safe Surrender Baby Law, parents invoking the SSP are protected from any legal repercussions. But that’s not so for parents who abandon their infant/baby. Infant/child abandonment not only risks the baby’s life but is illegal and will likely mean jail time for the parents.
Call 1-877-222-9723 (BABYSAF) or 2-1-1, 24/7, to find the nearest SSP site.
For more information on Safe Surrender, visit the California Department of Social Services