The Child & Family Guidance Center currently operates its Norwalk Clinic at 295 Westport Avenue in Norwalk, Connecticut, replacing the older 1 Park Street address found in legacy treatment data. The organization provides culturally informed mental health and substance use services for children, adolescents, young adults, and their families. Its current Substance Screening, Treatment and Recovery for Youth program, known as SSTRY, is an outpatient program for ages 12 through 24 who are using or at risk of abusing drugs or alcohol. This makes the Norwalk clinic an age-specific resource rather than an adult residential alcohol rehab.
Youth Substance Use Screening and Treatment
SSTRY begins with screening for substance use problems and can include a brief intervention using motivational interviewing. Treatment uses the Community Reinforcement Approach and can involve office-based and community or home-based support depending on the young person’s needs. For adolescents or young adults struggling with alcohol, treatment can focus on reducing risky behavior, strengthening motivation, building healthier routines, and finding rewarding alternatives to drinking or drug use.
Individual, Family, and Recovery Support
The program provides individual and family counseling in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Recovery coaches can add support as clients work toward treatment goals. The center also offers SMART Recovery and Connections peer-support groups that emphasize motivation, coping with urges, managing thoughts and feelings, and building a balanced life. These services can be useful when alcohol use is affecting school, work, relationships, family functioning, or emotional health.
Co-Occurring Mental Health Care
The Child & Family Guidance Center notes that substance-using youth often have conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, or ADHD. Psychiatric services and medication management are available when needed. Its broader counseling program includes psychologists, social workers, child psychiatrists, and licensed alcohol and drug counselors. This allows alcohol treatment to address both substance use and mental health symptoms rather than requiring families to separate closely connected problems.
Know the Limits of the Program
The Norwalk Clinic should not be described as a hospital-based alcohol detox center. A young person with signs of dangerous alcohol withdrawal, severe intoxication, suicidal behavior, or another medical emergency needs an appropriate urgent or emergency evaluation. The center can provide outpatient treatment and referrals, while Connecticut’s mobile crisis system is available for behavioral emergencies involving youth.
Updated Address, Phone, and Payment
The verified current clinic address is 295 Westport Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851. The center’s current contact page lists 203-810-4404 for the Norwalk Clinic, while its main agency number is 203-394-6529. The organization accepts insurance, including Connecticut Medicaid/HUSKY A and CHIP/HUSKY B, and states that no one is denied treatment because of inability to pay. Some services are free, while others use insurance or a sliding fee. Families seeking alcohol treatment should confirm age eligibility, program availability, coverage, and any expected cost before the first appointment.
