Community Service Agency

Address: 5 Sacramento Street
Cambridge, MA 02138 Phone: (617) 354-2275 Website: http://www.riversidecc.org/child-family-services/the-guidance-center/

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 CSA 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. 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.

Intensive family services offered at the Guidance Center are designed to help children and families develop the skills they need to live together in the community. The programs provide a wide range of services, including respite care, family-centered after school programming, intensive home-based therapies and supervised visitation.