Mental Health Prevention and Intervention Services

Record last updated 2025/01/03 Comment on this info .Update this info

Contact Information

Adolescent Consultation Services
Contact: Katherine Hughes, JD, MSW, LICSW, Parent Child Trauma Resources Lead
Email Address: acs@acskids.org
Phone: 617-494-0135
Alternate Phone: 617-835-8843 xCell

189 Cambridge Street Cambridge, MA 02141
Area Served: Greater Boston

Map Location Mental Health Prevention and Intervention Services

Narrative

Adolescent Consultation Services (ACS) supports and empowers court-involved children and families by providing mental health prevention and intervention services to help them envision and work toward a better future. 

Evaluations

ACS clinicians conduct same-day emergency mental health and substance use evaluations and comprehensive diagnostic evaluations of court-involved youth. Our clinicians conduct in-depth interviews with the child and family. They gather school and health records, and prepare a detailed report of their findings for the Juvenile Court. The report tells the story of the child and family in a new way. It takes into account the many facets of the child’s life and their unique circumstances. A careful and detailed formulation is developed, incorporating family history, the child’s developmental background, their school performance over time. It includes a full review of their medical and mental health history. This formulation informs a list of thoughtful and individualized recommendations intended to target the specific needs of the child and their family.

Treatment

ACS offers individual, family, and group treatment at no cost to families. Treatment sessions are focused on self-identified issues and helping the child or teen find positive ways to manage life stressors. Psychoeducational treatment groups help kids learn the skills needed to understand and cope with the challenges they face. Topics and areas of focus often include:

  • Positive communication skills
  • Dealing with anger and conflict resolution
  • Boundaries and healthy relationships
  • Coping with emotions
  • Stress management
  • Bullying
  • Safety and social media
  • Alcohol and drug use: education and dealing with peer pressure

 

Service Types

  • Disability Awareness
  • Family Support
  • Mental Health
  • Outpatient
  • Outpatient - Mental Illness

Program Type

  • Counseling
  • Mental Health

Populations Served

  • Behavior Disorder
  • Mental Illness

Ages Served

Additional Information

  • Fees: Free Service
  • Licensed By: Department of Mental Health