Each year, nearly 1 in 10 infants in the United States is admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), reflecting the specialized care many newborns require. In 2023, the NICU admission rate was 9.8%, up from 8.7% in 2016, a 13% increase over seven years (CDC, 2025)
For families across the West, spanning the Pacific states (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington) and the Mountain West (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming), the NICU journey can bring unique challenges. Families may face long travel distances between hospitals, higher costs of living in many regions, or the stress of being far from extended support networks.
Despite national NICU admission rates nearing 10%, some Western states show even higher or lower figures: Utah had a NICU admission rate of 12.4% in 2023, while Arizona’s was 7.9%. States like California, Colorado, and Washington fall in the middle range, 8-11%. (CDC, 2025) Premature birth rates similarly vary: California earned a “B-” grade, Utah a “C+,” Arizona and Colorado a “C,” based on the March of Dimes 2024 report card. These differences highlight how local context, such as access to care, hospital reach, demographic factors, shapes the NICU experience.
To help, we’ve compiled a guide to West region NICU resources offering peer support, financial assistance, care packages, and community connections. These programs are here to help families feel more supported, less isolated, and better equipped to navigate their NICU journey.
Bookmark this guide or share it with a friend—because no family should have to walk the NICU journey alone.
West Region NICU Resources
Miracle Babies
Founded to support families with hospitalized newborns, Miracle Babies is a nonprofit (501c3) serving San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles counties. Their mission is to empower parents and caregivers during the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) journey by providing services that foster hope, resilience, and healing.
What They Offer:
Transportation support through a free “Special Delivery Shuttle” that provides round-trip rides for parents and caregivers visiting their babies in the NICU (available in San Diego County with application required).
Mental health services, including counseling and support groups led by Licensed Clinical Social Workers who are also Certified Perinatal Mental Health Clinicians. Groups are available in English and Spanish.
NICU care packages to provide comfort and encouragement for families.
Diaper Pick-up, available monthly by-appointment.
Miracle Hours, in-hospital parent support groups that offer meals, crafts, and safe spaces to connect, share experiences, and find community. Currently offered in eight hospitals across San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles counties.
Location: San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles counties in California.
Visit Miracle Babies’ website here
Love for Lily
Summary: Launched in 2012, Love for Lily is a nonprofit (501c3) whose mission is to provide families with the support they need to navigate their journey through the NICU and to thrive both in the unit and at home. Location of services vary from nationwide to Colorado specific.
Programs:
Virtual NICU Support Groups: offerings include In-Unit Mama; Family; Lasting Love; Daddy Love; NICU Medical Team Support; Love, Camden & Friends groups. (Available nationwide)
In-Unit NICU Support Groups: available across 5 hospitals in Colorado.
Private Facebook Groups: different groups cater towards different individuals within the NICU community.
Financial Assistance: grants include 100 Day Warrior, Carter’s Love, and The Lions Love. To be eligible for their grants you must engage in 1 or more of their programs.
NICU Essentials Bag: these are given to every family expecting a 2 week or longer stay in the NICU at hospitals where Love for Lily serves.
Other resources include a list of nationwide and statewide resources for NICU families, bereavement resources, blog articles, educational courses and one-on-one coaching for NICU staff.
Location: Colorado, USA; Some nationwide resources.
Visit Love for Lily’s website here
Mighty Little Giants
Summary: Mighty Little Giants is a grassroots nonprofit (501c3) that advocates through providing support, education and hope for mothers and fathers experiencing pre-term deliveries resulting in long-term stays in the hospitals’ NICU.
Programs:
MLG Literacy Corner: provides partnering hospitals with bookshelves full of children’s books from which parents can choose and read to their baby and take home.
NICU Support: a group chat to build community support and crafts and conversation sessions.
Essential Self Care Kits: kits are ****free and available for Mother's in the NICU/NICCU, on bedrest, and mother's of full term children experiencing postpartum depression. (Only available to Los Angeles, Riverside, and Orange Counties in CA)
Other resources include emergency disaster relief support for NICU and PICU families affected by the fires in Southern California; in-person and virtual events and webinars.
Location: Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange Counties in California; Some nationwide resources.
Visit Mighty Little Giants’ website here
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital - Parenting Partnership Program
Summary: The Parenting Partnership program, supported by Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families and Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation, is designed to support NICU infants and their families during the first three years of life. It is a home-visiting program that is no cost to the families.
The Program:
Provides 2 NICU nurse visits to assist with questions about feeding, weight gain as well as other medical concerns that emerge the first few weeks after going home.
Family social workers with specialized training provide home visits and/or virtual visits in addition to assisting with navigating medical appointments and accessing developmental services.
Peer support is offered through monthly group meetings and community outings.
Infant’s milestones and interactions with parents are captured on video and provided as a keepsake for families.
Eligibility: Entry into this program requires a referral; this can be from a NICU social worker, a NICU nurse case manager, providers at the Newborn Care, and any specialty clinic provider or Primary Care Physician. Other area NICUs and outside agencies (Birth to Three Services) may also refer to this program. This program is offered in the state of Washington.
Location: Washington, USA.
Learn more about the Parenting Partnership program here
Visit Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital’s website here
Southwest Human Development - Smooth Way Home Program
Summary: The Smooth Way Home Program is led by Southwest Human Development which is a nonprofit (501c3) that strengthens the foundation Arizona’s children need for a great start in life. The program works to improve the social, developmental and medical outcomes of very fragile infants by enhancing the coordination of care and the quality of services provided to them as they transition from the newborn intensive care unit back to their home and community.
The Program:
Provides home visitation services to high-risk families who are transitioning from the NICU back home. Their fragile infant specialist home visitors offer families developmental guidance in caring for baby, emotional support, and help in accessing community resources.
Additional supports that can be accessed include feeding and lactation support, infant massage instruction, systems navigation, and services in Spanish.
Provides brief (up to 4 months) counseling to caregivers 18 years or older who are struggling with mental health concerns as a result of the birth/NICU experiences of their newborn baby at no cost. Counseling services are provided by independently licensed counselors. This service is currently available in a telehealth format to all of Arizona and there are no limits to serviceable boundaries.
Eligibility: Families who have spent time in the NICU and would benefit from additional support. In-person home visitation services are provided within Maricopa County (AZ) and virtual home visitation services throughout the state of Arizona for infants under eight months old, adjusted age.
Location: Arizona, USA; Maricopa County in Arizona.
Learn more about the Smooth Way Home Program here
Visit Southwest Human Development’s website here
Other Resources:
Every NICU journey is unique, but no parent has to face it alone. Whether you’re seeking peer mentorship, virtual support groups, care packages, or educational resources, these nationwide programs can provide guidance, connection, and practical help. For even more support, visit our digital resource hub (currently being compiled) for additional programs and tools. We’d also love to hear from you, if you’ve found any resources particularly helpful, please share them with us at editorial@connectingmothersinitiative.org.