[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6428493,"mediaKeyId","5865517-52c8d39c13a892b7a40ca36f428ec197","parentId",5865517,"title","DBHIDS and Community Behavioral Health describe deep integration with DHS; officials say more frontline capacity is needed","audioSeconds",3269,"startMs",1725000,"endMs",4994000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5865517-52c8d39c13a892b7a40ca36f428ec197&start=1725&end=4994","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5865517-52c8d39c13a892b7a40ca36f428ec197/thumbnail_1725000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6428493/Philadelphia-City/Philadelphia-County/Pennsylvania/DBHIDS-and-Community-Behavioral-Health-describe-deep-integration-with-DHS-officials-say-more-frontline-capacity-is-needed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428493-7b500b783f7e7f21a6c8a8cda86cda0f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770921033&Signature=ZQOIjIV28tj~MeHS8NFcXMHRO3O7azmTJ8xHDUXBL2j6PFSs6RieabeHPKGxq9w7OmMFKya4PQFCbqh37ewJBuVNTl68rADu4Ie7QqUsCpfqLaO~ldjqfbF7CDvTVvmLYL9o7y2aVkOZVWVtqZATYoFTCxVlc671MpK9r03DRbOFOWK4IGDrWoc6DrvfKTbjgWzpSu-RcfXeN6KGT~pbduyijKrd8KgHWrH21RfjMFxl4RoenCWFGfUz1ZyHZdptONfHlnhQPNekSGZ8b-1WLUI6ONg9Dcs2vL8arycEVe3GzSFXUi3rMCMWfe3SfbMzbPLNtzuGqSHS~8kGtjR3OA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Philadelphia City Council","date","2025-10-01T17:30:54Z","article","Laura D'Arrigi, identified in testimony as a senior director for clinical consultation at Community Behavioral Health (CBH) and a DBHIDS-affiliated clinician, described decades of co-location and clinical integration with Philadelphia Department of Human Services.

\"We started in 2000 and we collocated CBH care managers…within each of the CUAs,\" Laura D'Arrigi said, describing CBH staff who sit in family team conferences and in family court to provide immediate clinical consultation and referrals.

D'Arrigi told the committee CBH and DBHIDS run drug and alcohol assessments, operate forensic behavioral-health evaluations for family court, and maintain clinical specialists embedded in community umbrella agencies (CUAs). She said her hybrid role includes continuing to do home visits, courtroom testimony and co-facilitating aging-out reviews for older youth. She said those functions help identify clinical needs that should guide placement and service decisions.

Commissioner Kimberly Ali and other members of the panel said DBHIDS clinical integration is useful at screening and intake, but members pressed whether behavioral-health clinicians can routinely participate in hotline guided decision making. D'Arrigi and Ali said clinicians join investigations and teamings when consent is available or when clinical consultation is requested, but both acknowledged one senior clinical consultant cannot be everywhere. Ali said the department has added screening units on the hotline and uses structured decision tools, while D'Arrigi said consent forms and data sharing agreements limit real-time information transfer without family consent.

Why it matters: Council members raised the question whether greater behavioral-health presence at the hotline and early assessment stage could increase safe diversions and reduce unnecessary investigations and removals. D'Arrigi said an expanded cadre of clinical consultants and earlier access to DBHIDS information could steer more families to prevention and services tailored to complex trauma, substance use, intellectual disability and medical complexity.

Ending: Committee members asked DHS and DBHIDS to provide follow-up materials describing (1) how CBH/DBHIDS participates in hotline screening or investigations, (2) the staffing model for embedded clinical specialists, and (3) potential costs to expand front-line clinical coverage at intake.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Committee on Public Health and Human Services 9-30-2025","oneSentenceSummary","CBH and DBHIDS officials told the City Council committee that decades of co-location with DHS have created on-the-ground clinical supports but that a single senior clinical consultant and limited clinical staffing curtails the city’s ability to embed expertise at every hotline screening and investigation.","taxTitle","Philadelphia City, Philadelphia County , Pennsylvania","taxId",80615,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6428502,"Philadelphia DHS says hotline diversions, prevention funding rose as placements fell",315,697000,1012000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5865517-52c8d39c13a892b7a40ca36f428ec197&start=697&end=1012","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5865517-52c8d39c13a892b7a40ca36f428ec197/thumbnail_697000.jpg","/articles/6428502/Philadelphia-City/Philadelphia-County/Pennsylvania/Philadelphia-DHS-says-hotline-diversions-prevention-funding-rose-as-placements-fell","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428502-1d43711a46e0e4dc1ccab3759a792ce4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770921033&Signature=aw9scu1NsD2YQ8w-kM2b5FwvxRRoZIcljCm6YMc4sYMsRwdkbxnSQ5dPlQJaUrsIu62DPH2B2LCfbN-sFrQQix~WXirMQMvOYkn6l5f5harp2bD6~6WgDFYWRb28~H2YrfQ2lPjeXJb8Km-MD7RNWxMs5bnR-VTfzsPilL33Mmh-h-KDt6sllLRE2rxdVe~upYyWt0Kz6j~svsT3~OvFhKlEss4VP0c1BDtINDYElB235rBazoEmDOIsbYmsA1pYncDdTcyli8lRsV9Rix2T0mB5fgPA2CYqgTfYlezoMC1aiDHDCk0u~Kdvl1wPfNDxJGD5aXDNVBWEpu9maAJOwg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Philadelphia Department of Human Services Commissioner Kimberly Ali told the City Council Committee on Public Health and Human Services on Sept. 30 that calls to the city’s child abuse hotline trigger DHS involvement and that the agency has shifted a large share of incoming reports into prevention and diversion services.

\"The call to the child abuse hotline initiates DHS involvement,\" Commissioner Kimberly Ali said, explaining the intake and screening process that determines whether a report becomes a formal investigation or is diverted to prevention partners.

Ali presented DHS figures showing 38,184 calls or contacts entered into the hotline system in fiscal year 2025. Of those, she said, 60% — about 23,080 — were diverted from formal investigation and 15,104 received an investigation by a DHS social worker. Of the 15,104 investigations, 2,598 children were accepted for ongoing child protective services, she said.

The numbers, Ali said, are tracked through a case management system and on federal reporting platforms. \"Of the 15,104 that were investigated, only 2,598 children were accepted for formal child protective services,\" she told the committee.

Why it matters: Ali said the statistics reflect a multi-tiered approach intended to keep children safe while expanding services that stabilize families so removal is not necessary. She pointed to long-term trends showing a decline in the number of children in placement citywide — from 6,194 on June 30, 2017, to about 2,406 as of the testimony — a reduction DHS described as roughly 60% compared with the department’s high point in 2017.

How prevention is funded: Nadine Parisi, DHS chief financial officer, told the committee the department spends about $110 million a year on prevention services. Parisi said some prevention dollars are held as a city-managed emergency or \"concrete goods\" fund of about $3,135,000 and that roughly 70% of that fund is used for rental and utility assistance. She also described other prevention line items that support Family Empowerment Services and rapid-response initiatives.

Committee members pressed DHS for clarity on how the department documents voluntary family contacts, what fraction of diverted calls receive concrete supports, and whether prevention funding is sufficient to reduce removals further. Commissioner Ali said prevention databases were consolidated with the department’s case management system in recent years so referral and diversion activity is now better documented.

DHS described the intake process and follow-up timeline for children removed from their homes: when a judge grants removal, a hearing must occur within 72 hours; another hearing within 10 days; and review hearings at least every three months until the case is closed.

Ending: Council members said they want more granular budget and outcomes data on prevention spending and its impact on removals, and they asked DHS for fiscal-year trend reporting. DHS agreed to provide additional data to the committee.

","At a Sept. 30 Committee on Public Health and Human Services hearing, Philadelphia Department of Human Services Commissioner Kimberly Ali presented data showing a drop in children in placement since 2017 and described how the city routes calls through its child abuse hotline and funds prevention services.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6428479,"Parents, relatives and youth describe trauma and call for 'poverty is not neglect' implementation",4681,6029000,10710000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5865517-52c8d39c13a892b7a40ca36f428ec197&start=6029&end=10710","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5865517-52c8d39c13a892b7a40ca36f428ec197/thumbnail_6029000.jpg","/articles/6428479/Philadelphia-City/Philadelphia-County/Pennsylvania/Parents-relatives-and-youth-describe-trauma-and-call-for-poverty-is-not-neglect-implementation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428479-5f5bf82fb43492696a2865f53d56d949/orig.mp4?Expires=1770921033&Signature=IX9l5jC7oykF3LEtsU9x~bh6syd7XRbxqRMdAJrhTWJdPzmNOlh6EOxTQ0aajfxEITARrkVnQqIMd7fCAIBgDjFHSnKRx0KAuBqVixht3iYyo2RClKd1HRg5UK36EZFzZwls4ElsjwmlJXX2ETAz5UozmGQ-dldGHt148T9zitJ0K7ardbCHqFEHzTBqVfFFlhA~cdUyYgMY7wi9IVvqf-0CQZRFoflWj1l70QQTQE2cbhQLepk3uMYqL1Ldx0y2Utbs5YtIy1PdDDYSwgpPST6K12H9mfbmRg3EPzDa8~~qho3cgFlsGL9EEryxiHrUhORTzl73hzGEm7R~W8zcyQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council committee heard extended public comment from parents, relatives and people with lived experience who described painful interactions with child welfare and with community umbrella agencies.

Several speakers gave detailed personal accounts of family separations they described as unjust, mismanaged or motivated by poverty rather than imminent child-safety threats. Orletia Hamilton Waring described a case in which a therapist’s report led to allegations about her husband and a long investigation; Kaseyra King said she endured years of abuse in an adoptive placement and then homelessness after aging out of care. Other commenters, including foster caregivers and kinship providers, recounted instances in which family members were not notified, casework was inconsistent, or workers made assertions that later proved incorrect.

Multiple public speakers urged the council to implement the recommendations of the 2022 special committee on child separation — often referenced in testimony as the \"poverty is not neglect\" recommendation — and to increase cash and housing supports so families are not separated for material hardship. One advocate summarized the call: \"Take away our poverty, not our children.\"

Why it matters: Council members said the testimony reinforced concerns voiced by experts about the need for prevention and better wraparound supports. Members repeatedly asked DHS for clearer information on safety plans, how kinship care is tracked, and the department’s role when families voluntarily ask for help.

Ending: Committee members asked DHS for supplemental materials and follow-up meetings with advocates and parents who testified. Several members pledged to pursue budget and policy options that would expand prevention dollars and to evaluate how the department documents and monitors safety plans and voluntary family arrangements.

","Multiple speakers at the Sept. 30 hearing gave eyewitness testimony about child welfare interventions that they say caused harm. Speakers urged the council to implement 2022 recommendations — including treating poverty as not constituting neglect — to limit unnecessary removals and expand concrete supports.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6428487,"Experts and council members debate CUA model, provider liability and oversight at DHS hearing",4721,4328000,9049000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5865517-52c8d39c13a892b7a40ca36f428ec197&start=4328&end=9049","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5865517-52c8d39c13a892b7a40ca36f428ec197/thumbnail_4328000.jpg","/articles/6428487/Philadelphia-City/Philadelphia-County/Pennsylvania/Experts-and-council-members-debate-CUA-model-provider-liability-and-oversight-at-DHS-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428487-9dc0b4f3194ce9e651d6bb930471fd71/orig.mp4?Expires=1770921033&Signature=R5w9z-6iK4LedxRE1I6fDjoGW1FKERF1U0SQn71kQTdJVAEy6g9FNpTtGzTJvqjZLsJEVNCg2ZsHFPjaqxxIxLt4opEAELsMEGI7vxU4Vfko5bDIHpEvE2rfFT~U3CWse-evD95NTMfX~sizRtXlqkrRolwCQRL7M9dyLkCghZZXw2VtjlqsHdGQsIy27G3jWkgDkVQWtLljkTxqRNsz7zIIrVV6jMGD469qNdKgX8DDuxMTLcJpnE6npDpaZyi4H9FKMPLMKlImA6PdwCvDTdXsgWCoau5yKMph4wJ1gZlT0qYrf6EgWVYG2YkeNw2TuEtJhxhkn~i3NEwVkDKX2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Sept. 30 hearing, longtime child-welfare consultant Paul DiLorenzo urged Council to treat neighborhood-based community umbrella agencies (CUAs) as primary points of engagement but said the model as designed lacks clarity, stable funding and liability protections for providers. DiLorenzo, who previously worked with Casey Family Programs and Philadelphia child-welfare reviews, told the committee the CUA model will not be sustainable unless roles, culture and payment match the policy goals.

\"The lack of clarity between unionized employees of DHS and the myriads of private provider agencies with their own histories, missions, and values\" undermines a consistent system, DiLorenzo said. He said successful comparable systems commit to a single organizational culture, pay providers reliably, and protect them from liability.

Council members including Cindy Bass pressed the broader question of whether the CUA model should be retained, reformed, or replaced by direct DHS provision. Bass said several providers that once carried large caseloads have been lost to lawsuits and financial stress, creating gaps in service and complicating continuity of care.

Why it matters: Witnesses and council members described litigation over practice failures as a continuing drag on the system, and warned that frequent agency turnover or providers leaving the system can leave children and families without continuity of care. DiLorenzo recommended redesign work that engages all sectors influencing family well-being — schools, health, housing and behavioral health — and emphasizes customer service, neighborhood access and measurable outcomes.

Ending: The committee did not vote on policy changes but heard requests from members for further analysis of whether CUAs should remain the primary neighborhood partner, and for proposals that would shore up provider capacity, liability protection and clear performance metrics.

","Child welfare consultant Paul DiLorenzo and council members debated the sustainability and oversight of Philadelphia’s Community Umbrella Agency (CUA) model, with testimony citing provider lawsuits, lack of clarity between city employees and private providers, and the need for a neighborhood-focused, well-funded approach.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

DBHIDS and Community Behavioral Health describe deep integration with DHS; officials say more frontline capacity is needed

Philadelphia DHS says hotline diversions, prevention funding rose as placements fell

Parents, relatives and youth describe trauma and call for 'poverty is not neglect' implementation

Experts and council members debate CUA model, provider liability and oversight at DHS hearing