Boost Your Mood:
Children, Youth, and Families
As our youth return to in-person learning, let’s safeguard their mental health and wellness. Here are some helpful supports and services for youth, families, and caregivers.
Student Assistance Program
The Student Assistance Program (SAP) helps students, and their families identify substance misuse and mental health challenges.
SAP connects students with quality services to help them thrive successfully in school and at home.
The Philadelphia School District Learning Network assigns a SAP team member to all schools.
How to Access Services
All students and families are eligible for free SAP services.
- Teachers, school staff, guardians, and students can make a referral or self-referral with the school counselor to initiate the process, and a parent is notified once it is approved.
- SAP team members will meet with the student and parent(s) or guardian(s) and complete a behavioral health assessment together.
- SAP team member will make the appropriate connections for services with parental consent.
Questions?
Cora Services
Email
215-342-7660
8450 Verree Rd.,
Philadelphia, 19111
Einstein Healthcare Network
Email
267-444-0787
5501 Old York Rd.
Philadelphia, 19141
Merakey
Email
215-368-2022
400 N. Broad St.,
Lansdale, 19446
CADE Kids
Email
215-925-0643
128 Chestnut St. #302,
Philadelphia, 19106
Children’s Crisis Response Center & Children’s Crisis Responses
Our priority is to ensure that all children throughout the City of Philadelphia have access to behavioral health services and resources during a crisis.
The Philadelphia children’s crisis system is designed to:
- Prevent crisis whenever possible.
- Ensure interventions provide rapid relief and a sense of control to the child and family.
- Provide services in a family-focused, strength-based, trauma-informed manner. SAP team members
The following options are available to help a child and family access the support they need during a behavioral health crisis:
Intensive Behavioral Health Services Providers
A treatment program for children and adults up to age 21 with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges
The IBHS treatment team works with you and your family in your home, in the school, or in other community settings.
To learn more, call 888-545-2600 or talk to your school counselor, mental health provider, or pediatrician.
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) has established new regulations for Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) to replace Behavioral Health Rehabilitation Services (BHRS) for the delivery of child and adolescent services in the home, school, and community.
Community-based Children’s Services
Community Behavioral Health a Division of DBHIDS | CBHPhilly.org
A treatment program for children and adults up to age 21 with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges
Questions to Think About Before an Evaluation
- Why do you think your child is having behavioral/ emotional problems?
- How often do the behavioral problems happen and at what time of day do they occur?
- What is impacting your child’s well-being when the behaviors occur?
- What have you already tried to do to handle the behaviors?
- What are the stressors (past or current) in your child’s life or in the family’s life?
Bring any important documents or information that would be helpful for an evaluation, such as all paperwork that involves past evaluations of your child’s behaviors.
A Good Place to Start
Many services begin with an intake appointment. Your treatment team may then recommend that you participate in a Comprehensive Biopsychosocial Evaluation (CBE). This evaluation is a comprehensive way to learn about your child and how they are functioning at home and in all domains of their lives and to understand if your child has emotional or behavioral health challenges that may be impacting them.
This evaluation will also help to identify which services will be helpful for your child and family to have the best outcomes for treatment. It’s important for the evaluator to hear what you think is causing the emotional/behavior problems, explain why they are recommending services, and prepare you for what outcomes you can anticipate.
If your child has been referred to CBH by a healthcare professional, contact CBH Member Services
888-545-2600
TTY: 888-436-7482
For your convenience, Member Services is available every day, 24/7. During your call, a member services staff member will help you locate a provider agency who can schedule your child for an evaluation.
Community Behavioral Health (CBH) is a non-profit contracted by the City of Philadelphia to manage the delivery of mental health and substance use services, also called behavioral health services, for people receiving Medicaid in Philadelphia County. CBH wants to give you the knowledge you need to make sure you and your child get the highest quality service. We appreciate the opportunity to partner with you as you seek help for your child.
Respite Programs
Respite care is a pause or breather for parents who care for children with a behavioral health diagnosis. Children ages 6 to 17 are eligible.
Respite Mini Grants
You coose who provides care while you take a much-neede break. Each grant reimburses up to 48 hours or $300 to a friend or relative the parent or guardian chooses. This person must have state clearances.
Call 215-685-4746 or 215-685-4740
Email
Visit DBHIDS.org/children/respite
Family Member Committee Meeting
This committee is for family members raising a child under 22 years old who is receiving or has received behavioral health services in Philadelphia.
The purpose is to provide a forum for family members to share their concerns and ideas in transforming Philadelphia children’s behavioral health system.
Virtual Meetings are held monthly, to learn more visit PSOC.DBHIDS.org/For-Families, email or call 445-262-2144.
For more information and resources for families, visit PSOC.DBHIDS.org.
Network of Neighbors Trauma Responders Network
Trauma is any overwhelmingly stressful experience that can shatter a sense of choice, safety, and trust.
Network of Neighbors is a free, community-driven trauma response network. We work to reduce violence and trauma by responding more effectively to it — by working alongside the community to address their experience, defining needs and boundaries, and putting community safety and choice first.
Network of Neighbors offers support to reduce stress and isolation, encourage social connection, tap into the natural strengths of the community, and begin the healing process.
- Impact and needs assessment in collaboration with the community
- Group discussions and community meetings that create safe spaces to come together, receive accurate information, tell your story, share thoughts and reactions, and explore ways of supporting yourself and your community
- Free training in trauma-informed approaches, including Psychological First Aid and Post-Traumatic Stress Management
- We bring support, presentations, trainings, and resources to you.
How It Works
Creating Choice at Every Level
Communities that have been impacted by trauma are at greater risk for not receiving the resources and supports they need. The ASK Model requires an invitation from the community to begin re-establishing choice and safety and ensure that the community’s voice drives the process. By requiring a Community Connector before providing support, the ASK Model works to encourage collaboration and align local and citywide response efforts to meet the needs of the community.
Community Connectors are members of the community who work alongside the Network to organize responses within their neighborhood or community.
Community Trauma Responders are members of the community trained in Psychological First Aid and Post-Traumatic Stress Management who support or facilitate interventions within neighborhoods and communities.
Who We Serve
Network of Neighbors supports the entire community. Community includes neighborhoods, blocks, social groups, schools, recreation centers, workplaces, agencies, libraries, etc. These supports are appropriate for ages 9 years and older. Referrals are provided for individuals and families.
Any group of people with a connection is a community.
Connect
Contact the Network to discuss support for your community, free training, a community information session, and information about becoming a Community Trauma Responder.
267-233-4837
NetworkofNeighbors@phila.gov
DBHIDS.org/networkofneighbors