The OYO serves youth in residential placements. Residential placements are sometimes called congregate care. These settings include:

• Group homes.
• Psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs).
• Other, non-psychiatric residential institutions (non-PRTFs).
• State-run facilities for delinquent youth.
• Emergency shelters.

Anyone can contact the OYO. This includes youth and their families.

You can contact us if you have concerns about a residential placement. These may include complaints about:

• Unsanitary living conditions.
• Poor education services.
• Improper health or medical care.
• Inadequate supervision.
• Unfair discipline.
• Your needs not being met.
• Your voice not being heard.

To report a complaint, you can:

• Call (215) 686-1178
• Email OYO@phila.gov, or
• Submit a complaint online.

Call or email our office to report a complaint in a language other than English.

Once you report a concern, we will contact the facility named in the complaint. As part of this process, we make sure that the facility completes a meaningful investigation. As we oversee every step of the investigation, we’ll also evaluate the agency’s:

• Investigative protocols.
• Reporting systems.
• Emergency responses.

Yes. We know it can be scary to share details about your situation, so we take extra precautions to make sure your identity is safe. We’re committed to creating a safe, open, and supportive space for you to share your concerns. Whatever you talk about with us, stays between us.

Our office cannot independently investigate reports of child abuse or neglect. OYO is a mandated reporter. This means that our office must report suspected abuse or neglect to the state. You can still report abuse or neglect to OYO. However, if you describe abuse or neglect, we will contact ChildLine on your behalf.

To report child abuse or neglect yourself, call Pennsylvania’s ChildLine at (800) 932-0313. They accept reports 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you suspect abuse or neglect, you can also contact the appropriate agency listed below:

• For facilities overseen by the Philadelphia Department of Human Services: Call the Commissioner’s Action Response Office (CARO) at (215) 683-6000 or dhscaro@phila.gov.
• For behavioral health facilities: Call Community Behavioral Health Member Services at (888) 545-2600.
• For criminal complaints: Contact your local police department.

Community events

We hold public meetings every year. During these meetings, we share our findings, data, and recommendations. We also provide space for the public to ask questions and provide comment on the OYO’s work.

Know-your-rights trainings

We provide training about the rights of youth in residential placements. We conduct this training for:

• Young people.
• Parents and guardians.
• Residential treatment facility staff.

To schedule a training, call our office at (215) 686-1178 or email OYO@phila.gov.

On-site visits

We meet with young people in facilities. We conduct interviews and surveys to identify service concerns and track trends. We also use these opportunities to share information.