Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services

The Division of Planning Innovation advances Philadelphia’s behavioral health system using population health, data-driven, and community-focused strategies.

The division supports a variety of community-based initiatives designed to mitigate the effects of traumas experienced by individuals and communities. Using a framework of equity, the division strives to promote access to behavioral wellness and treatment services for individuals residing in Philadelphia.

Among the division’s primary activities and units are:

• Developing innovative strategies and initiatives to highlight the importance of behavioral health wellness in the community through a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Recognizing and engaging treatment providers, family members, and community-based supports and organizations as valuable partners in healing from traumas experienced in the community.
• Coordinating systemwide community outreach activities increase awareness of behavioral health wellness and support services.
• Community Affairs Unit: Ensuring awareness and access to behavioral health and wellness resources for all communities through targeted outreach, peer support, innovative programming, and DBHIDS’ presence in the community.
• Peer Culture and Community Inclusion Unit: Drives innovative advances in Peer-led, recovery-oriented, and trauma-informed systems through training, occupational wellness support, and provider technical assistance grounded in the DBHIDS Peer Support Toolkit.
• Immigrant Affairs and Language Access Services: Ensuring immigrant and refugee communities across Philadelphia have access to DBHIDS services and resources that are culturally and linguistically responsive.
• Trauma Response and Emergency Preparedness Unit: Supporting communities, schools, and organizations impacted by trauma including violence, loss, and ongoing circumstances of heightened stress within communities.
• Research Unit: Applies tools from research, epidemiology, and evaluation fields to support decision making in DBHIDS