County Burial Services

A county burial service may be authorized for those deceased county residents who do not have the resources to provide such interment on their own, and whose next of kin are financially unable to assume their responsibility.

The applicant for the burial service must be the next of kin to the decedent in the following order:

  • An agent under a power of attorney for health care
  • Surviving spouse
  • Surviving adult child/children
  • Surviving parent or parents
  • Surviving competent adult sibling or, if there is more than one surviving sibling, the majority of the surviving adult siblings

Only one application will be taken per decedent.  EHSD will do a financial eligibility determination of the next of kin applicant. The next of kin applicant must certify that there are no assets in the decedent’s estate and that they are financially unable to cover the cost of the interment.

The Burial program covers the cost of the decedent’s cremation.

Applications for the county burial are taken in the General Assistance offices. There are three General Assistance units located in Contra Costa County. If you want to apply for the county Burial program, please call or visit the nearest office:

East CountyCentral CountyWest County
4545 Delta Fair Boulevard
Antioch, CA 94509
Phone: (925) 608-5990
Fax: (925) 608-5998
400 Ellinwood Way
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
Phone: (925) 655-1221
Fax: (925) 228-0405
1305 Macdonald Avenue
Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 942-3670
Fax: (510) 942-3888

Office hours in each location are
Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm