Skip to main content

Department of Human Services

Working together with communities to support families and protect children.

Department of Human Services

Notice: The Department of Human Services is working to support Philadelphia’s children and families during COVID-19. View our updated policies, guidance, and resources.

What we do

Philadelphia’s Department of Human Services is the county child welfare and juvenile justice agency and is overseen by the Office of Children and Families. Our mission is to provide and promote safety, permanency, and well-being for children and youth at risk of abuse, neglect, and delinquency. Our main service areas include:

  • Prevention. We work with families to safely care for children in their own home to reduce child abuse and neglect.
  • Child Welfare. We operate Philadelphia’s child abuse hotline, investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect, and help children involved with DHS achieve a permanent home. We manage the private organizations (Community Umbrella Agencies) that provide case management and other support services in 10 geographic regions throughout Philadelphia.
  • Foster and Adoption. We contract with state-licensed agencies who certify homes as placements for children and youth who are not safe in their own homes. The goal of foster care is to reunite children with their families. When this is not possible, as determined by the courts, many resource parents choose to adopt the children who are in their care. Find out how to become a foster parent and how to adopt a child.
  • Juvenile Justice. We operate the county’s juvenile detention facility, manage contracts for court-ordered youth programs, and work to divert youth from the formal justice system through intensive prevention services.

Connect

Address
1515 Arch St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Email dhscommunications@phila.gov
Phone: (215) 683-4347 for information
(215) 683-6000 for complaints
Social

Events

  • Sep
    20
    NET CUA 1 & APM CUA 2 - Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
    4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
    Feltonville Recreation Center, 221 E Wyoming Ave # 231, Philadelphia, PA 19120, USA

    NET CUA 1 & APM CUA 2 - Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration

    September 20, 2024
    4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, 2 hours
    Feltonville Recreation Center, 221 E Wyoming Ave # 231, Philadelphia, PA 19120, USA
    map
    Participants can RSVP here: https://forms.gle/V77GC5K9vpPi3MkV7
  • Sep
    23
    CUA 4 Cafe DE Padres Closed Group
    All Day
    via Zoom

    CUA 4 Cafe DE Padres Closed Group

    September 23, 2024
    All Day
    via Zoom
    map
  • Sep
    23
    CUA 8 & 10: Parent Café: We are Family
    12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
    2501 Reed St. Phila, PA 19146

    CUA 8 & 10: Parent Café: We are Family

    September 23, 2024
    12:00 pm to 2:00 pm, 2 hours
    2501 Reed St. Phila, PA 19146
    map

    National Family Day

    Register: tgladden@bethanna.org 267-524-2444 or khudgins-bey@bethanna.org  267-290-3800

Our programs

Resources


Top