Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation
Counseling Program · About this organization
What you get
Up to 12 counseling sessions per participating family member, including the first appointment. The program covers the full cost or what insurance leaves.
How to start
Email the Bear Hugs team for the Counseling Referral Form, then complete the counselor's paperwork.
The details, as published
Bear Necessities subsidizes counseling for eligible pediatric-cancer patients or survivors and immediate family members during treatment, after treatment, or after a pediatric-cancer death. Each participating family member may receive 12 sessions including intake through named Illinois providers or virtually, and Bear Necessities covers the full cost or the amount remaining after insurance.
What help you may get
Bereavement And Memorial Support
Counseling Program — bereavement and memorial support
Bear Necessities subsidizes counseling for eligible pediatric-cancer patients or survivors and immediate family members during treatment, after treatment, or after a pediatric-cancer death. Each participating family member may receive 12 sessions including intake through named Illinois providers or virtually, and Bear Necessities covers the full cost or the amount remaining after insurance.
Amount not published
Mental Health Therapy
Counseling Program — mental health therapy
Bear Necessities subsidizes counseling for eligible pediatric-cancer patients or survivors and immediate family members during treatment, after treatment, or after a pediatric-cancer death. Each participating family member may receive 12 sessions including intake through named Illinois providers or virtually, and Bear Necessities covers the full cost or the amount remaining after insurance.
Amount not published
Peer And Emotional Support
Counseling Program — peer and emotional support
Bear Necessities subsidizes counseling for eligible pediatric-cancer patients or survivors and immediate family members during treatment, after treatment, or after a pediatric-cancer death. Each participating family member may receive 12 sessions including intake through named Illinois providers or virtually, and Bear Necessities covers the full cost or the amount remaining after insurance.
Amount not published
Check the main eligibility rules
Diagnosis
B-ALL is in scope. Pediatric B-ALL patients and their immediate family members can meet the pediatric-cancer eligibility rule.
Age
The program does not publish an age limit.
Treatment status
Bereavement
Where you live and where your child is treated
Where your family lives
You must live in: Published program service area in US-IL.
- Illinois is confirmed through the Illinois-resident eligibility path and the named Illinois counseling providers. A prior Bear Hug recipient is an alternative qualifying path, and Bear Hugs may qualify through Illinois residence or Illinois treatment, so preserve that alternative instead of asserting an Illinois-residence-only rule.
Where your child is treated
No treatment-location restriction is published.
How to get started
Does a social worker or care team need to start it? No. A required care-team start is not published; the family can use the available route below.
- Complete provider intake after referral.
- Email the Bear Hugs team to request the Counseling Referral Form.
Ways to apply or ask
- Email · bearhugs@bearnecessities.org — Email to express interest and obtain the Counseling Referral Form.
Documents to prepare
The program does not publish a document checklist. Ask before gathering paperwork.
Availability and timing
| Program | Active |
|---|---|
| Applications | Call To Confirm |
| Funding or space | Not Published |
| Application window | Rolling |
| Last checked | Aug 24, 2026 |
Limitations and things to confirm
- Counseling is limited to 12 subsidized sessions per participating family member, including intake.
- The page is ambiguous about whether the eight-year lookback applies to every Bear Hug recipient or only the separate Illinois-resident path.
- Does the eight-year lookback apply to all Bear Hug recipients or only the Illinois-resident alternative?
- What current provider capacity and response time apply?
Official sources
Program details were last verified Aug 24, 2026. Availability can change, so check the official program before applying.
- Counseling Program · checked Aug 24, 2026