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Home » About Us » DBHIDS Organization » Division of Planning Innovation » Policy Unit
DBHIDS Policy Unit
The City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) hosts a Policy Unit dedicated to disseminating information about behavioral health-related issues to the public.
The Policy Unit strives to be a collaborative and innovative, community-supported, evidence-based team that positions DBHIDS as a leading voice in behavioral health literacy and policy.
Supported by a Steering Committee that provides the perspective of the different divisions of DBHIDS on various policy topics, the Policy Unit:
- Educates the public on behavioral health issues and initiatives that impact Philadelphians.
- Responds to policy changes at the local, state, and federal levels.
- Keeps DBHIDS leadership apprised of important policy changes at the federal, state, and local levels.
- Actively monitors and appropriately responds to proposed legislation, considering its impacts on behavioral health in the City of Philadelphia, keeping in mind the influence of intersectional factors.
- Fosters collaboration between internal DBHIDS divisions as well as across City departments to improve policy, access to treatment, and treatment quality for Philadelphians with behavioral health challenges, keeping in mind the influence of intersectional factors.
The Policy Unit is managed by Dr. Jaymes Fairfax-Columbo, JD, Ph.D.
Policy Unit Resources
Exploring important concepts in behavioral health.
Read behavioral health policy-related blog posts by the Policy Unit on the Healthy Minds Philly blog.
Examining the potential impact in Philadelphia of recent legal changes related to behavioral health.
Raising awareness of contemporary issues in behavioral health.
- Adolescent Social Media Use Issue Brief
- Behavioral Health Needs of Justice-Involved Adolescents and Transitional-Age Youth
- Behavioral Health Needs of Justice-Involved Veterans
- Behavioral Needs of Justice-Involved Women and Girls
- Impact of Cannabis Use on Behavioral Health
- Low Barrier Interventions for Returning Citizens
- Solitary Confinement
- Suicide Risk Among Returning Citizens
Helping Philadelphians learn how to support their neighbors with behavioral health challenges.
Exploring Philadelphia’s use of research-backed behavioral health practices.