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 its 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: The DBHIDS Community Affairs Unit works to ensure that all Philadelphians have access to wellness, recovery, and peer-support services in their own communities with the support of the Community Outreach and Engagement Unit, the Community Wellness Engagement Unit, and the Peer Culture and Community Inclusion Unit.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Unit: Shifting the culture in a bold way by collecting, reporting, monitoring data, and building partnerships with various stakeholders.
• Trauma Response and Emergency Preparedness Unit: Fostering a greater awareness and understanding of the unique needs of individuals affected by trauma
• Research Unit: Applies tools from research, epidemiology, and evaluation fields to support decision making in DBHIDS