Nurturing health and hope in children, families and community

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The Guidance Center offers a wide array of developmental and mental health services, designed to build on the strengths of children and families.  Our programs support the goals of all parents--to see their children grow into productive young people who have healthy relationships with their family and friends, thrive in school, and imagine hopeful futures. 

For an overview of our programs, please click on each link below.  To read more about a specific program, simply click that program's name for more detailed information (if available). 

                  Infant-Toddler Services

                                   Child and Adolescent Services

                       Intensive Family Services

Infant-Toddler Services

Our home-based programs for infants, toddlers and their families focus on prevention and early intervention to help children get off to a healthy start in life.  Education, guidance, linkages to community resources and support services are offered during pregnancy for parents and can often continue until their child's third birthday.  When potential risks are identified, staff work closely with parents and child care providers to improve the child's progress toward developmental goals.  For a child experiencing challenges, early identification leads to more effective treatments and many times prevents further delays in a child's development. 

Infant-Toddler Services include the following programs:

     Cambridge-Somerville Early Intervention (C-SEI)

     Early Intervention Partnerships Program

     FIRSTLink

     Healthy Families of Cambridge and Somerville, funded by the  

          Children's Trust fund

Please note: For information about Cambridge Head Start Child Care, please contact Shirley Word-Kimbrough at 617.577.7880.

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Childhood and Adolescent Services

Child and Adolescent Services provide culturally- and linguistically-sensitive mental health care to youths, ages three through 22, and their families.  Our continuum of mental health services includes domestic violence support groups for children and parents, one-on-one mentoring and comprehensive mental health care in schools, homes and at our outpatient clinic.  Our staff partners with parents throughout all the transitions in a child's development in order to achieve his or her optimum social and emotional well-being.

Child and Adolescent Services include the following programs:

     Cambridge Youth Guidance Center (CYGC)

     Children With Voices: A Child Witness to Violence Program

     Companion Tutor Program

     Early Childhood Team

     Enhanced Outpatient Services

     School-Based Services

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Intensive Family Services

Many of the children and families seen at GCI require more intense level of care.  The programs under our Intensive Family Services serve youth, ages three to 22, and cover a wide range, including respite care, family-centered after school care, outreach home-based therapies and supervised visitation.  We specialize in wraparound family support that prevents hospitalization or out of home placement and reunifies children with their families.  These services are designed to strengthen families and are some of the most innovative, community-based models of their kind. 

Due to our success in this area, GCI was chosen to serve as the Lead Agency for Family Based Services.  This opportunity brings nearly $900K in Department of Social Service dollars to GCI each year.

Intensive Family Services include the following programs:

     Family After School Program (FASP)

     Family Advocacy, Stabilization and Support Team (FASST)

     Family Intensive Reunification and Stabilization Team (FIRST)

     Meeting Place: Supervised Child Access Service

     Outreach Services

     Temporary Care Services Family Support (TCS)

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