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Basic support services for Riley Hospital for Children include dietary, spiritual and resource counseling. Additional services include the Child Life Program that addresses stress and emotional concerns, a School Program for tutoring and educational needs, Music Therapy and the Frank and Marian Snyder Family Resource Center. Adult supportive care is available through the IU Simon Cancer Center CompleteLife Program.

Riley offers some basic support services:

A Social Worker will be assigned to you and your family at the time of diagnosis, and will follow you throughout your treatment. The social worker is a member of the medical care team that can provide assistance in obtaining a variety of resources within the hospital and community. Your social worker can help with emotional support, counseling, lodging, school and education issues, crisis intervention, financial concerns, transportation, and insurance. If you would like to speak with a social worker, just ask your oncologist to connect you will one or contact social services directly at 317-274-0115.

A nutritionist or dietician will provide nutritional counseling to help you decide on a diet on your special needs. Healthy eating will help you recover and maintain your well-being following treatment. Call (317) 274-3623 for the nutrition office.

Chaplains provide spiritual counseling to help you and your families deal with feelings and spiritual concerns. They help you draw upon your own spiritual beliefs to provide support, strength and meaning in your life. A staff member will contact the chaplain for you, or you may contact the chaplain directly by calling (317) 274-7415 between the hours of 8am and 4:30pm.

Riley offers some special services that will help with your emotional and educational needs:

The Child Life Program helps reduce the stress and fear young patients often experience while hospitalized for treatment. The program can help address the social, emotional, and educational needs of the patient and their family. It does this by encouraging expression of feelings, communication and socialization with peers.

Music Therapy: Music may already be an important part of your life. However, you may not yet realize that music has many potential health benefits and can be a form of therapy. Music therapy can help you to express thoughts, feelings, and emotions. It can help lessen pain, shorten a hospital stay and speed recovery. Music may increase positive feelings, improve performance in school, and strengthen relationships with friends. It can also help relieve stress, reduce fears and aid relaxation. For more information call (317) 274-8723.

Riley Hospital for Children also offers a school program Monday through Friday during the school year for patients up to the 12th grade. An educational liaison can help you:

• Contact your teachers to coordinate assignments and report days of school service received while you're hospitalized
• Tutor you in small groups or on an individual basis, and arrange for a home tutor if you are unable to return to school for 20 or more days
• Write an Individual Education Plan (IEP) to accommodate your special needs, such as allowing for extended time or shortened assignments when you return to school. For more information, contact the Educational Liaison or Teacher's office at Riley at (317) 274-1147, or visit the Riley School Program Page.

The Frank and Marian Snyder Family Resource Center is located in the Riley Outpatient Center (ROC) at Riley Hospital for Children. The Family Resource Center includes:

• The Edward A Block Family Library, a good place for you to find educational materials about your disease and available services and support groups in your community
• The Riley Family Education Center which helps facilitate the independence of our patients, families and caregivers by helping them learn new skills and make care decisions;
• Riley Chapel, a quiet place where people can come for meditation, prayer or a private time for reflection; and
• The Ronald McDonald House at Riley, a home-away-from home for families with sick children being treated at Riley Hospital for Children, providing overnight guest rooms and a soothing place to escape the hospital environment.