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Child and Family Services
An array of child and family programs with the flexibility necessary to meet
each child or adolescent’s individual needs.
| Care Coordination Services |
Community Service Agency
The Community Service Agencies (CSA) provide Intensive Care Coordination (ICC) and Family Support and Training.
ICC is a service that uses the Wraparound care planning process to coordinate multiple services and supports with families raising a child/youth with serious emotional issues. Wraparound puts the family at the center of the planning process and builds a team around the family’s vision for their child’s future. Involvement and participation in ICC is voluntary.
The Community Service Agency provides services to youth under the age of 21 who are enrolled in MassHealth Standard or CommonHealth who meet the medical necessity for this service. The Community Service Agency for the Arlington Area provides support to eligible youth living in the Arlington Service Area, which covers the 21 towns serviced by the Department of Children and Families Arlington Area Office. The Cambridge/Somerville Community Service Agency provides support to eligible youth in Cambridge, Somerville, Wilmington, Winchester, Burlington and Woburn.
Community Service Agency for the Arlington Area |
Community Service Agency for the Cambridge-Somerville Area at the Guidance Center |
237 Highland Avenue Needham, MA 02494 Tel: 1 (877) 869-3016 Fax:
(781) 559-3192
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5 Sacramento Street Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 354-2275 |
| Community Day Programs |
Family After School Program
The Family After School Program is an intensive therapeutic after school program designed for seriously emotionally disturbed children, ages six to 12. Participating youth are referred by the Department of Social Services (DSS), Department of Mental Health (DMH) and Mental Health Services Program for Youth (MHSPY) from the Cambridge and Somerville communities. The primary goal of the Family After School Program is to prevent hospitalization and out-of-home placement for youth who require therapeutic services and who cannot be maintained in regular after school settings.
Family After School Program
The Guidance Center
5 Sacramento Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-354-2275
Riverside Life Skills Center
This Day Program for children and adolescents with serious emotional problems focuses on crisis stabilization, evaluation, and enhancing successful psychosocial functioning at school, work, and home. The program closely coordinates treatment and discharge planning with families, schools, and treatment providers. Services may be integrated with the Riverside Family Partnership programs, Riverside Alternative Youth Services, and other community resources. The Riverside Life Skills School adds an educational component to the Life Skills Program. For more information about the School, click here. |
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| Riverside
Life Skills Center 255 Highland Avenue Needham, MA 02494-3023 (781) 433-0672 lifeskillscenter@riversidecc.org |
| Community and School-Based Services |
Riverside Alternative Youth Services
Riverside Alternative Youth Services can provide area schools with workshops and trainings on various mental health topics as well facilitate support groups with students and parents.
Riverside Alternative Youth Services
255 Highland Avenue
Needham, MA 02494-3023
(781) 433-0672
needham.ays@riversidecc.org
Riverside Newton Youth Outreach
Riverside Newton Youth Outreach provides year-round outreach services for middle and high school aged youth who live or attend school in Newton. Services include individual, family and group counseling Riverside Newton Youth Outreach
Brigham Community House
20 Hartford Street
Newton Highlands, MA 02461-1517
(617) 796-4902
School-Based Services at the Guidance Center
School-Based Services (SBS) partners with Cambridge Public Schools by collaborating with school staff and students to further enhance and identify ways to help build community within the school. The team strives to help students with perspective taking and conflict resolution skills.
School-Based Services
The Guidance Center
111 South Street
Somerville, MA 02143
617-284-5130
| Developmental Disability Services |
Behavioral Treatment Services
This mobile resource team develops and coordinates clinical consultation for adults and children with development disabilities who are also experiencing emotional, behavioral, or psychiatric disorders. Staff utilize respite services and provide training and crisis intervention for program staff, family members, and individuals with developmental disabilities living at home or in residential settings.
Riverside Behavioral Treatment Service
190 Lenox Street
Norwood, MA 02062-3416
(781) 769-8670
norwood.bts@riversidecc.org
Family Support Programs
Staff offer a wide array of supports to families of children with developmental disabilities living in the community. These supports include respite, recreational activities, provision of adaptive equipment, skill training, and specialized staff support.
Riverside Family Support Center |
| Domestic Violence Services |
Children With Voices: A Child Witness to Violence Program
Children With Voices: A Child Witness to Violence Program focuses on enhancing and facilitating services for child witnesses of domestic violence and their caretakers. It is a collaborative project between the Guidance Center, battered woman shelters, such as RESPOND, Inc. and Transition House, and other agencies in the Cambridge/Somerville area.
Children With Voices
The Guidance Center
111 South Street
Somerville, MA 02143
617-284-5130
Meeting Place: Supervised Child Access Service
Meeting Place: Supervised Child Access Service serves at-risk children and their parents in conflict over child access following parental separation, removal of a child from his/her home or open adoption. The program offers a safe setting for visits between parent(s) and their child(ren). Trained Child Access Supervisors oversee these meetings, allowing parents and children to remain in contact without risk of physical or emotional harm.
Meeting Place
The Guidance Center
5 Sacramento Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-354-2275
| Early Childhood Services |
Early Intervention Services
Early Intervention offers therapeutic, educational and family support services for delayed, disabled, or at-risk infants and toddlers from birth to age three. Services include screening and assessment, home visits, groups and individual center based therapies, toddler groups, parent education, and support groups.
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| Riverside Early
Intervention Program at Needham |
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| 255 Highland Avenue Needham, MA 02494-3023 (781) 449-1884 needham.ei@riversidecc.org |
61 Medford Street Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 629-3919 |
Early Intervention Partnerships
Program
Early Intervention Partnerships Program (EIPP) is a pilot project funded by the Department of Public Health to provide assessments, health education and referrals to community services to at-risk pregnant women. EIPP employs a Maternal Child Health Nurse to provide support during the pregnancy and a Social Worker to evaluate the development of the child from birth to their first year.
Early Intervention Partnerships Program
The Guidance Center
61 Medford Street
Somerville, MA 02143
Tel: 617.629.3919
Preschool Team
The Preschool Team provides social and emotional health and therapy services to children under six-years-old and their caregivers. Preschool Team members are early childhood specialists trained to help families who have young children with issues related to children's development, challenging behaviors and difficult family circumstances.
Preschool Team
The Guidance Center
111 South Street
Somerville, MA 02143
| Early Head Start |
Early Head Start provides support to pregnant women and families with infants or toddlers. The program is designed to support low income families and promote the health and well-being of the entire family in order to give their young children a head start in their intellectual, social and emotional development.
Riverside Early Head Start
474 Broadway
Somerville, MA 02144
617.629.6652
| Emergency Services |
More extensive services (up to 72 hours) are available to youth under 21 years of age who are covered by MassHealth insurance or are uninsured. To serve these youth and families, Riverside uses a mobile team comprised of a Master's level clinician and paraprofessional staff. The team assesses the nature of the crisis, provides immediate intervention and referral and follow-up, as needed. |
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| Riverside Emergency Service South & West Suburban |
Riverside Emergency Service South Worcester County Area |
| 190 Lenox Street Norwood, MA 02062-3416 (781) 769-8674 (TDD Accessible) Toll Free (800) 529-5077 southwest.es@riversidecc.org |
206 Milford Street Upton, MA 01568-1309 (508) 634-3420 (TDD Accessible) Toll Free (800) 294-4665 blackstonevalley.es@riversidecc.org |
| Home-Based Treatment Services |
Family Advocacy Stabilization and Support Team
Family Advocacy Stabilization and Support Team (FASST) is a program funded by the Department of Mental Health to provide intensive home based treatment and case management for children and adolescents at risk of out of home placement. FASST helps families identify, strengthen and enhance their support systems in order to safely maintain their child in the community. Flexible funds can be used to provide short-term residential care when needed.
Family Advocacy Stabilization and Support Team
61 Medford Street
Somerville, MA 02143
(617) 629-3919
Family Intensive Reunification and Stabilization Team
Family Intensive Reunification and Stabilization Team (FIRST) is a program funded by the Department of Children and Families in the Cambridge-Somerville area to help reunify children who have been placed out their home and/or to prevent unnecessary residential placement. FIRST works with residential programs, families and treatment providers to build the necessary supports to successfully transition children back into their communities.
Family Intensive Reunification and Stabilization
Team
61 Medford Street
Somerville, MA 02143
(617) 629-3919
Family Partnership
A team of specialists offers short-term therapeutic treatment options for youth. Staff are mobile and work with a child and family for periods ranging from several weeks to up to six months, providing screening and assessment, supportive counseling, intensive case management, outreach and education, respite supports and activities, and longer term support. Services may be coordinated with outpatient treatment, Riverside’s Life Skills Center, crisis stabilization services, emergency services, and other community resources. |
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| Riverside Family Partnership South & West Suburban |
Riverside Family Partnership Blackstone Valley |
| 255
Highland Avenue Needham, MA 02494-3023 (781) 433-0672 southwest.fp@riversidecc.org |
206
Milford Street Upton, MA 01568-1309 (508) 529-7000 blackstonevalley.fp@riversidecc.org |
| Riverside
Family Partnership Metro North |
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| 338
Main Street Wakefield,MA 01880-5030 (781) 246-2010 metronorth.fp@riversidecc.org |
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Therapeutic Mentoring
Therapeutic Mentoring Services are designed to help youth who are MassHealth enrolled develop specific independent life skills as part of an overall behavioral treatment plan. Therapeutic Mentors meet one on one with the youth in the community and help with problem solving strategies, conflict resolution and/or social conflicts that have been identified as part of the treatment plan developed with their clinical team.
Therapeutic Mentoring is administered out of the following locations:
| Riverside Youth and Family Services 237 Highland Avenue Needham, MA 02494 (781) 433-0672 |
Riverside Outpatient Center at Upton |
Guidance Center Family Clinic at Somerville Somerville, MA 02143 |
Somerville Mental Health Association Child, Adolescent & Family Services |
In-Home Therapy
In-Home Therapy Services provide intensive therapy for MassHealth enrolled children under 21 and their families to treat the child’s behavioral-health needs and help the family support the child. Services are delivered where the youth is naturally located (home, foster care, school, etc.) with the goal of helping the family increase the youth’s functioning both at home and in the community and decrease the possibility of psychiatric hospitalization or out-of-home placement.
In–Home Therapy is administered out of the following locations:
237 Highland Avenue Needham, MA 02494 (781) 433-0672 |
338 Main Street Wakefield, MA 01880 (781)246-2010 |
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Riverside Outpatient Center
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Guidance Center Family Clinic at Somerville |
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Somerville Mental Health Association Child, Adolescent & Family Services |
Riverside Alternative Youth Services
| Riverside Alternative Youth Services serves teens and their families in the communities of Newton, Weston and Needham who are facing crises with alcohol and drug abuse, escalating family conflict, eating disorders or serious emotional problems. A team of skilled clinicians respond immediately, helping the teen and family manage the immediate crisis. Staff provide short-term treatment and support, and access additional resources to maintain youth in their homes and communities. | |
| Riverside
Alternative Youth Services 255 Highland Avenue Needham, MA 02494-3023 (781) 433-0672 needham.ays@riversidecc.org |
| Outpatient
Counseling, Medication Services, Substance Abuse Counseling |
| Our outpatient centers provide individual, family, and group therapy. Staff have expertise in working with a broad range of problems that children and their families encounter. In addition to counseling, we offer medication management, as well as home-based and case management services. Services are provided at clinic sites, schools, homes, and area agencies. We accept a full array of public and private insurance. | |
| Riverside Outpatient Center at Norwood 190 Lenox Street Norwood, MA 02062-3416 (781) 769-8670 norwood.outpatient@riversidecc.org |
Riverside Outpatient Center at Newton 64 Eldredge Street Newton, MA 02458-2097 (617) 969-4925 newton.outpatient@riversidecc.org |
| Riverside Outpatient Center at Dedham 30 Eastbrook Road, Suite 302 Dedham, MA 02026-2048 (781) 329-4579 dedham.outpatient@riversidecc.org |
Riverside Outpatient Center at Wakefield 338 Main Street Wakefield, MA 01880-5030 (781) 246-2010 TDD (781) 246-6666 wakefield.outpatient@riversidecc.org |
| Riverside Outpatient Center at Upton 206 Milford Street Upton, MA 01568-1309 (508) 529-7000 upton.outpatient@riversidecc.org |
Guidance
Center Family Clinic
5 Sacramento Street |
Guidance Center Family Clinic at Somerville 111 South Street Somerville, MA 02143 (617) 284-5130 |
Somerville Mental Health Association Child, Adolescent & Family Services |

