Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services

The Commissioner sets the vision and direction for the work of the City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services. The office is responsible for leadership over the six DBHIDS divisions and for the organization, prioritization, and achievement of the Department’s overall goals.

• The Commissioner of DBHIDS is the representative of the Department to internal and external communities, as well as with local, state, and federal partners.
• Through initiative prioritization and through alignment, coordination, and integration of efforts, the Commissioner’s Office implements the CARE framework, which focuses DBHIDS efforts on Connection, Access, Resilience, and Equity.
• By adhering to the CARE framework, the Commissioner’s Office moves the Department toward improving the behavioral health and wellness of all Philadelphians.
• Office coordinates with the provider network and external stakeholders to ensure equitable access to quality behavioral health services for all Philadelphians.
• The Commissioner supports the DBHIDS Advisory Board, the Faith and Spiritual Affairs Advisory Board, and other community convenings, and leads Executive Director’s meetings to ensure integration of stakeholder voices in policy and practice development.
• The Commissioner coordinates the Department’s work addressing the social determinants of health as a whole person health approach.
• The Commissioner implements and manages cross-agency initiatives and programs.
• The Commissioner’s Office deepens systemic approaches to solving complex issues, focusing on data and integration of projects to increase our understanding of the effectiveness and reach and to ensure the highest quality of trauma-informed and trauma-mitigating behavioral health and related services.

The work of the Commissioner’s Office includes:

• Systems Integration Unit – seeks to align, coordinate, integrate, and connect information across the department and city agencies to address the behavioral health needs and challenges of the residents of Philadelphia.
• Communications Unit – facilitates all DBHIDS internal and external communications; works closely with DBHIDS, City of Philadelphia, and other partners to help educate, strengthen, and serve individuals and communities so that all Philadelphians can thrive.

• Organizational Development – Relies on two key initiatives that create accessible pathways for employees to ensure that the values and principles of fairness, inclusivity, and employee voice are integrated into workplace decision-making and organizational culture. Through these initiatives, employees are empowered to share their perspectives, actively participate in organizational change, and contribute to identifying and addressing outcome gaps.