[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6426809,"mediaKeyId","5887301-0c61ba9752808e07607a68d56d093fb7","parentId",5887301,"title","Philadelphia DHS outlines hotline volumes, prevention spending and drop in child placements","audioSeconds",646,"startMs",697000,"endMs",1343000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5887301-0c61ba9752808e07607a68d56d093fb7&start=697&end=1343","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5887301-0c61ba9752808e07607a68d56d093fb7/thumbnail_697000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6426809/Philadelphia-City/Philadelphia-County/Pennsylvania/Philadelphia-DHS-outlines-hotline-volumes-prevention-spending-and-drop-in-child-placements","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6426809-bdf7d760fc789e69a15f1d23e8881b25/orig.mp4?Expires=1773592590&Signature=m6BkEXXNre6ebVkuXwPyC09tcXDaFUl~T0iNvPsXRUOT6Y9qXN79NQb6yH50zd8xhwtUjif7RAHgk3rAcNNIjpaFFAxyTXSNjd0hGn57r1XkIplwT~N5xE2zN62STO4QJVrd8tLCqKMw3i98QDJWz6FfyUThZgA0dR96iy3jWHwOBmT1qfN82mD2EDijOgIXbzumd~UzERCGKTpgXqAXr-XASCMfjUyOSH48etFTnJWdjQUWB~VTpxJnjyNoDa36NlYQHibKGbPviyzF4To-QyEH-u3SK6HToYdDGM7O3CnZ4M2HgI6PDnfNF4BsDbGNWwu4n0GUQQLq21XHA05G6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Philadelphia City Council","date","2025-10-01T23:13:26Z","article","Philadelphia Department of Human Services Commissioner Kimberly Ali told the City Council Committee on Public Health and Human Services on Sept. 30 that the department has seen measurable declines in the number of children in placement while continuing to operate a 24/7 child abuse hotline that handles tens of thousands of contacts each year.

Ali told the committee that in fiscal year 2025 the department logged 38,184 calls, walk-ins or emails to its child abuse hotline. Of those, 23,080 — about 60 percent — were diverted from formal investigation after screening and provision or referral to prevention services, while 15,104 reports received a formal investigation by DHS social workers. Of the investigations, 4,033 reports were accepted for services, representing 2,598 children who then received in‑home support or entered placement, Ali said.

Why it matters: The department presented those figures while describing a sustained reduction in the number of children placed outside their homes, from a high of 6,194 on June 30, 2017, to 2,504 on June 30, 2025, and 2,406 on the date of testimony. Ali said federal-comparison data show Philadelphia’s removal rate fell from 7.6 children per 1,000 in 2017 to 3.4 per 1,000 in 2023 and that the in‑care rate fell from 16.1 to approximately 8 per 1,000 over the same period.

DHS’s screening and diversion approach: Ali described the department’s use of a structured Hotline Guided Decision Making (HGDM) process. That process is intended to collect information about maltreatment and family dynamics so supervisors can decide whether a report meets the criteria in the state Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) for formal investigation, or whether families should be diverted to preventive services provided by community umbrella agencies (CUAs) and other providers. Ali told council members that all hotline determinations are reviewed by a master’s‑level manager.

Prevention spending and supports: Ali and Nadine Parisi, DHS chief financial officer, told the committee the department now spends about $110 million annually on prevention services. Parisi said a discrete, city-managed emergency \"concrete goods\" fund totals about $3,135,000 and is used mainly for housing supports — rental and utility assistance — and for furniture and similar needs. Ali added that CUAs also have discretionary funds; the pooled CUA discretionary line across agencies was described as roughly $1,300,000 and that DHS had requested an additional $1,000,000 for the next fiscal year. Other prevention line items cited in testimony included RSRI ($3.3 million), Family Empowerment Services (FES, $2.4 million), and two site-based family empowerment centers (about $4.5 million).

How families receive diversion services: Ali said diversion services are voluntary, documented in DHS’s case management system, and can include in‑home supports, intensive prevention services, or behavioral health interventions arranged with Community Behavioral Health (CBH). She said FY25 had 5,083 families referred to prevention services. Ali emphasized the department moved its prevention documentation into the same case management system as investigations to provide a holistic family view.

Safety assessments and court process: Ali outlined the removal process under state law: when an allegation meets CPSL criteria, a DHS investigator may seek an order of protective custody from a judge; only the courts can order removal. She described the statutorily required review hearings — in particular, an initial hearing within 72 hours after protective custody is granted and review hearings at least every three months thereafter — and noted Act 33 governs reviews of child fatalities and near‑fatalities and requires multidisciplinary external reviews.

Gaps and next steps identified in testimony: Committee members pressed DHS on tracking of families who self‑refer versus mandated reports, the composition and sufficiency of prevention spending, and whether the department should publish clearer, stand‑alone line items for emergency assistance so the council and the public can see where concrete supports are spent. Ali said the $3.135 million emergency fund is primarily used for housing (about 70 percent) and that the department expanded a Philly Families Can support line through the Department of Public Health (about $1.5 million) to connect families with services.

Ending note: Ali argued DHS continues to refine policies and practices, and she reiterated the agency’s stated priority to reduce trauma and keep families together when it is safe to do so. Council members signaled interest in additional data on prevention expenditures, outcomes over multiple years, and whether increased early investment reduces the rate of removals.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Committee on Public Health and Human Services 9-30-2025","oneSentenceSummary","At a Sept. 30 hearing, Philadelphia Department of Human Services Commissioner Kimberly Ali described a drop in children placed outside their homes and detailed how the agency handles 38,184 hotline contacts in fiscal 2025, diversion practices, and prevention funding including a $3.135 million emergency \"concrete goods\" fund.","taxTitle","Philadelphia City, Philadelphia County , Pennsylvania","taxId",80615,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6426806,"CBH official describes on‑site clinical integration with DHS; council members press for more capacity",3318,1725000,5043000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5887301-0c61ba9752808e07607a68d56d093fb7&start=1725&end=5043","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5887301-0c61ba9752808e07607a68d56d093fb7/thumbnail_1725000.jpg","/articles/6426806/Philadelphia-City/Philadelphia-County/Pennsylvania/CBH-official-describes-onsite-clinical-integration-with-DHS-council-members-press-for-more-capacity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6426806-c3ad9b241fa05e79132aac2424400ac0/orig.mp4?Expires=1773592591&Signature=g2dJTjEAUKLepsxNBYccgDkAD4d74PpqEO-KWHA~-OVdVCeQ7Tmz0WTSgwKYMvNMIyC-DlpvkPg4nlS~zQGxYHZc15m3o5C-eUbpLikg3QSwDsDFWc14I3XuDQCFyLWSDJVijhHwu9Ki0pc3Quw~lzOZpyChAg3U5Fc299iyvVQ14V9viucSruQ-5wk5WM7ys9gQ0PckMAFor1qG34iEWFPFP7osaGTED1FH1CQSTYIPXZKOyGiFLuiksbj2JgnkAf~RWy1IefV7mfPBjB5~jCpLd80YJTCfvQQUjsBbaZ2koHKErs9C0YV~ukhgsX1zosJoAMx0FitXJnTbIAnRdg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Committee on Public Health and Human Services hearing, Laura D'Rigi (senior director for clinical consultation at Community Behavioral Health, CBH) described long‑standing integration between CBH and the Department of Human Services — including co‑location of CBH clinical staff at DHS, courtroom placement of CBH staff, and a CBH–DHS forensic evaluation unit established in 2004.

D'Rigi said the integration began under earlier DHS leadership and was intended to ensure seamless access to behavioral health services when children and families enter the child welfare system. She described a ‘‘hybrid’’ role — clinical consultation that combines home visits, direct practice, court consultation and cross‑system coordination — and said she personally continues to do home visits and courtroom testimony in complex cases.

Capacity concerns raised: Council members asked whether behavioral health should be present earlier in hotline screening and whether CBH’s consultative role could be expanded. D'Rigi said CBH staff had previously been co‑located in the hotline but that access to behavioral health information depends on consent; CBH shares information when families sign consent forms used during investigations. She also confirmed she is currently the sole person in that hybrid, cross‑system clinical consultant role and that the department had sought funding in a prior needs‑based plan to expand the role into a team.

Why it matters: Councilmembers said adding clinical capacity at the front door could increase appropriate diversions, reduce formal investigations, and attach the right level of services earlier. D'Rigi said a stronger front‑end clinical presence could help ensure “the right level of services be attached early on,” which DHS and council members argued would reduce avoidable entries into formal child welfare cases.

Other CBH functions described: D'Rigi outlined CBH care managers colocated with CUAs to support family team conferences, court‑based behavioral health forensic evaluations that involve psychiatrists and psychologists for comprehensive court assessments, and an IDS/DBH staff member dedicated to prenatal plans for infants exposed prenatally to substances.

Council follow‑up: Committee members requested additional detail on whether CBH resources can be scaled and whether consent and privacy processes limit earlier information sharing. D'Rigi and DHS leadership said they would provide further information on how front‑end consents and staffing might be modified without violating privacy rules.","Laura D'Riggi of Community Behavioral Health told council the agency and DHS co‑located staff and developed forensic evaluation capacity, but council members said the city needs more clinical consultants at the front door to reduce unnecessary investigations and connect families to services earlier.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6426791,"Survivors, kinship caregivers and advocates urge implementation of reforms, cite trauma and poverty as drivers of removals",513,6030000,6543000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5887301-0c61ba9752808e07607a68d56d093fb7&start=6030&end=6543","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5887301-0c61ba9752808e07607a68d56d093fb7/thumbnail_6030000.jpg","/articles/6426791/Philadelphia-City/Philadelphia-County/Pennsylvania/Survivors-kinship-caregivers-and-advocates-urge-implementation-of-reforms-cite-trauma-and-poverty-as-drivers-of-removals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6426791-375842b9ec8a7b53502b3a4cc16833ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1773592591&Signature=lpua07deiNgF8nHm3xAUUanKgFK1DMEqJ0xkkwylFpZGZVC3cNzBKMU6sgLSjuzRYR3bh7lemhyiukZ2KksJ2WA6zraLKUXqpZR707nfLG5AFRvbat1GilDzTmQIXY8egDPJchhpO2irSQUt5Xxt6pZuI8PT3RgaeWgAX7sdgrZt~U7XNLLrZ7iQwAl0P4BIG2q-JORSXf1pSIrmPGtxUK84wv8~UZZS1lbhtaiEOitUOYC6ShWk4u2v1h5rBfCOxkZ1qEJgNexH9B~WTRq-74bN6tMxLs5U4NHNf~D64V7YSEXowqIjhU24-eI3PNEMGfgtocUXA~7qlTAxxy4DQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A long public‑comment period at the committee hearing featured testimony from people with lived experience — kinship caregivers, people who had been in foster care, advocates, and service providers — who described trauma, alleged errors and bias by caseworkers, and specific proposals for reform.

Personal accounts of harm: Multiple speakers described long, ongoing harms from child removals. Orlethea Hamilton Waring described allegations that led to years of family disruption before her husband was cleared; Kaseira Brown (who also uses Kaseira King) recounted physical abuse she said she suffered in a foster home and subsequent homelessness; Raven Jacobs and other kinship caregivers described families being separated and ongoing barriers to reunification. Several speakers asked for clearer information about rights at the outset of investigations and better supports for families early in the process.

Calls to implement poverty‑related recommendations: Community advocates urged the council and city to implement recommendations from the 2022 special committee report, especially the \"poverty is not neglect\" directive that conditions remedied by concrete aid should not be treated as neglect. Advocates and some council members connected unconditional cash approaches (so‑called \"Joy Bank\" models) and other direct financial supports to reduced removals; testimony cited evidence from the pandemic-era expanded child tax credit, which advocates said correlated with reductions in child poverty and child‑welfare reporting.

Human trafficking and placement shortages: Heather LaRocca of the Salvation Army’s New Day to Stop Trafficking program described the local trafficking crisis and the overlap with child‑welfare involvement. LaRocca said her program served about 1,300 survivors last year and that Rap Court (a trauma‑informed court program) had 16 youth enrolled last year. She and others said placement options for trafficked youth are limited and that group‑home capacity and resource‑family reluctance to take complex older youth have aggravated placement shortages.

Kinship care and administrative problems: Several kinship caregivers described difficulty obtaining benefits and documentation for children in their care, contested safety‑plan practices, and cases in which they said DHS workers made inaccurate or misleading statements that led to removals. Witnesses asked for clearer rules around safety plans and for better notice to relatives who can provide stable homes.

Aging‑out and transition services: Commenters and DHS testimony both addressed older youth services. DHS presented data showing a drop in the number of youth aging out (310 in 2020–21 vs. 178 in 2024–25) and described supports including the Achieving Independence Center and rental assistance for youth up to age 23; public commenters argued more sustained support is needed.

What advocates asked council to do: Common demands included adopting \"poverty is not neglect\" protections, increasing easily accessible emergency cash and housing supports, publishing clearer guidance about family rights in investigations, expanding front‑door prevention and clinical capacity, and investing in placements and services tailored to trafficking‑impacted youth and older adolescents.

Committee response: Councilmembers thanked witnesses and said they would pursue follow‑up questions and data. Multiple members emphasized interest in stronger prevention supports, clearer safety‑plan rules and improving outcomes for youth aging out of care.","More than a dozen public commenters described personal and generational harm from child removals, called for implementation of the 2022 \"poverty is not neglect\" recommendations, and urged expanded prevention cash and housing supports; service providers also described human trafficking intersections and placement shortages for older youth.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Philadelphia DHS outlines hotline volumes, prevention spending and drop in child placements

CBH official describes on‑site clinical integration with DHS; council members press for more capacity

Survivors, kinship caregivers and advocates urge implementation of reforms, cite trauma and poverty as drivers of removals