GCI -- What We Do -- CYGC

Clients served: 704
Hours of
Service: 12,420
Family risk factors:
55% Substance Abuse
52% Divorce/Separation
  43% Domestic Violence
34% Neglect
15% Homelessness
Ethnicity:
39% Caucasian
27% African American
17% Latino
    5% Haitian
    9% Portuguese
    3% Other
Past involvement with
DSS: 52%
Special Ed: 55%

The activities of the Cambridge Youth Guidance Center (CYGC) extend beyond the walls of GCI and affect children and their families from all cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Clinicians work collaboratively with schools, courts, the Department of Mental Health (DMH), the Department of Social Services (DSS), health task forces, and other agencies to reach out to every child and family in our area. A range of mental health services and support programs, including psychotherapy, comprehensive bio-psycho-social evaluations, parent skill-building, psychological testing and psychopharmacological services is offered through intensive home, school, community and clinic-based interventions. Additionally, CYGC provides training to mental health students and professionals in the community.

CYGC provides education and consultation services to nine Cambridge schools and runs 25 school groups for K-12 students and their teachers on topics including building social skills and self-esteem, violence prevention, anger management and conflict resolution. Wraparound clinicians coordinate comprehensive educational and mental health services in an effort to maintain students in their specialized classroom settings. In addition, CYGC offers psychiatric, social work and family support services for two hours each week at the Longfellow School. This "satellite clinic" increases our outreach and is likely to be replicated at other elementary school sites and the Family Resource Center based at the high school.

The Cross Cultural Program integrates services to linguistic minorities across our programs and with other agencies. The agency's Diversity Initiative to provide cultural training for staff continues to focus on instructive training designed to enhance cultural and clinical competencies in substance abuse, sexual abuse and domestic violence.

The Companion Tutor Program matches children with emotional and/or behavioral issues with student mentors from local universities and colleges. These pairs spend about six hours per week engaged in social activities such as going to the movies, visiting local museums, playing ball and listening to music. The individualized attention that the children received from their mentors has a positive therapeutic effect on their school performance and self-esteem.

CYGC also runs a variety of parent groups, such as the weekly father's group and a support group for Portuguese mothers. A Family Support Worker offers a series of groups and workshops for Spanish-speaking parents seeking to improve their skills in parenting, computer proficiency and English as a second language.

Every summer, young CYGC clients receive "camperships" that allow them to attend Cambridge day camps as well as specialized, intensive camps that address emotional or behavioral issues. Children return from their experiences enriched and rejuvenated as a result of their new friendships and special attention. Parents also benefit from the respite gained by having their children away at camp.

Staff working on the Outcomes Project collect information on all outpatient cases, using reliable and well-validated instruments in a pre-test/post-test design. Data regarding demographics, diagnoses and risk factors serve as quantifiable evidence of program outcomes.

To make a referral for clinical evaluation or treatment, please contact the following GCI administrator:

We bill 65 different insurances, including Medicaid and Medicare. We are in-network providers for Tufts and Harvard Vanguard.

To inquire about arranging for all clinical services, consultations or employment/training opportunities at the Cambridge Youth Guidance Center, please contact: