The Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS) is the child welfare agency for the City of Philadelphia. DHS provides an array of services to the children and families in the city, including abuse and neglect investigations, foster and adoptive services for dependent children, community-based services and programs for delinquent youth.
Through a network of contracted provider agencies, DHS’ Community Based Prevention Services reaches more than 30,000 youth and families each year with programs that address truancy, parenting skills, delinquency issues and countless others. Many services are also offered in additional languages.
In addition to the network of provider agencies, DHS also operates two unique centers – the Achieving Independence Center and the Achieving Reunification Center.
The Achieving Independence Center is a cutting-edge program and facility for teenagers in foster care who are about to turn 18 and essentially be on their own.
The Achieving Reunification Center is also “outside the box” in that it provides parents whose children have been removed from their home by DHS with a place where they can go for support, services, education, job skills, etc. to fulfill the necessary court-ordered requirements to regain custody of their children.
Both centers, located in Old City, are filled with activity, vibrant colors and are spacious enough for shooting.
The Children and Youth Division provides social services to abused, neglected and dependent children, youth and their families. These services are provided directly or purchased from private agencies and include home-based services, foster care and congregate care and adoption services.
Children & Youth Division clients may be filmed only with an appropriate signed consent form.
The Division of Juvenile Justice Services oversees the Youth Study Center; Court and Community Services; including Community Based Emergency Shelters, Disposition Planning Unit, Support Community Outreach Program (SCOP), and all purchased services for delinquent youth. The Youth Study Center is Philadelphia’s juvenile detention facility and provides short term secure detention services to adolescents alleged to have committed delinquent acts.
There are legal prohibitions on filming clients’ faces, records and other confidential information; however access to facilities and programs is possible with prior approval.
The Administration & Management Division, located at 1515 Arch Street, has a variety of offices, conference rooms and open office space which are available for film productions.
The Department maintains the following motor vehicles: buses, cars and passenger vans.
Representatives from all divisions are available for consultation with approval of the Commissioner’s Office. Please contact the Film Office for referrals.
The Youth Study Center is located at 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue (20th & Callowhill Streets). The Commissioner’s Office, Administration and Management and Children and Youth Divisions are at 1515 Arch Street. Primary contact: Alicia Taylor, Communications Director, Department of Human Services, 1515 Arch Street, 8th floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102, 215-683-6012 – phone, 215-683-6107 – fax, alicia.taylor@phila.gov
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