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PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — The City of Philadelphia announced a change to its testing criteria to include more people. Health Commissioner Doctor Tom Farley said on Monday that improvements in testing a lab’s abilities to process results are making this possible. Now, if you have symptoms, you can get tested regardless of how old you are […]

The City of Brotherly Love seeks to live up to its name this Mental Health Awareness Month. Mayor Jim Kenney on Monday announced the launch of the city’s #MindPHL Together campaign (pronounced “mindful together”). The initiative — a collaboration between the city and Independence Blue Cross — aims to improve the community’s understanding of mental […]

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The COVID-19 pandemic has spiked stress and anxiety around the world. On Monday, Philadelphia launched a new campaign called “Mindful Together,” encouraging mental health awareness and for people to get help if needed. People are stressed like never before. Calls to one mental health crisis hotline are up 900%. Whether it’s fears […]

The DBHIDS Community Wellness Engagement Unit is looking for individuals with lived experience and experience with community engagement work who prioritize and promote wellness and recovery. We are hoping to hire a diverse and inclusive workforce as we expand our team. Click for details.

Campaign Aims to Reduce Stigma, Encourage Philadelphians to Seek Help PHILADELPHIA – Mayor Jim Kenney announced today the launch of a new public awareness campaign in May which builds on national Mental Health Awareness Month. The #mindPHL Together campaign, sponsored by the City of Philadelphia and Independence Blue Cross, aims to: Bring an improved community […]

When Gov. Tom Wolf issued a stay-at-home order for Philadelphia-area residents on March 23, Julie Peticca braced herself for a deluge of calls to the Montgomery County suicide prevention hotline. Peticca, the director of crisis intervention at Montgomery County Emergency Service Inc., knew that isolation could exacerbate mental health issues, especially for people with depression […]

COVID-19 is a national public health threat to all people of every community, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or language capability. There have been reports nationally of individuals of Asian descent being targets of harassment because the virus is believed to have originated in China. The mission of the Department of Behavioral Health […]

Dr. Sosunmolu Shoyinka, Chief Medical Officer, City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) These are stressful and uncertain times. The evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic is very sudden and can be confusing. This may provoke anxiety for many people. Those with pre-existing anxiety and other mental health conditions may be […]