Wayside Youth/Family Support Network

My teen went to the day program for 2 weeks. It taught him very little coping and his family even less. Only 2 one-on-ones with a counselor out of 10 promised, and no parent updates. If there were any other services in Framingham/Westborough area, we would have, but even the place in Westborough has a bad reputa in human services. Most of these places are understaffed, undertrained, dirty, and just follow the guidelines, not treat the individual child's needs.

Wayside provided one of the worst experiences in my mental health recovery to date. It's been probably 2 years since my time there, but I still think about it. Staff were not equipped to provide 24/7 aid, which is kind of the entire point of inpatient. Night staff would only sit and scold you for being awake instead of trying to help you. Nearly everyone cried on their first night and no one said anything about it.My intake and outtake was unbelievably messy. I was deemed 0 risk to myself or others in my evaluation, just there in need of support I couldn't run from. I admitted myself willingly. They lost my information and I was on the highest form of security for my first weekend. I couldn't even use coping skills like drawing because it was too much of a risk to them to give me pencils.I started feeling more depressed, hopeless, homesick, and afraid the longer I stayed. I was only supposed to be there for a week but ended up there around three. They wouldn't let me out and the entire process was messy and stalled.My medications got messed up and psychologists were never around to meet with me. Send your children elsewhere.

This program honestly saved my life. After being placed in multiple programs around the state, I was placed here. At first all kids aren’t willing to accept help. Wayside was different, the staff really helped and cared. I was here for a year and a half. Back 9 years ago when I just turned 16. If I didn’t end up getting placed in wayside I do not know where I would be in life. I’m currently a successful young women. I have a degree, ran My own branch of my business for 3 years before becoming a stay at home mom. If it wasn’t for wayside, I know this right now wouldn’t be my life. I remember calling wayside on the day of my high school graduation to thank a specific staff member that push me hard while I was in the program and saying thank you to her. Because of her being so strict, I left as a strong young women knowing I could do anything.