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Access to Services

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

There is "No Wrong Door" to accessing mental health services or substance abuse services. There are many ways to find the type of service that you need. If you have a private health plan that covers these services, contact your health plan administrator. If you are a CBH (Community Behavioral Health) member or have no insurance, a good first step would be to call the CBH Member Services Line:

    888-545-2600 (TTY for Hearing Impaired: 215-413-7198)

Professional counselors will answer your call, help you through a crisis, or provide referrals for services.

Services offered by the City of Philadelphia are offered by contracted provider agencies. These providers usually accept HealthChoices, Medicare, and sometimes other insurance. A sliding scale is available for those with no insurance.

Intellectual disAbility Service

Individuals New to the System

If you were never registered for services, if you are coming from the public school system, children's services such as the Department of Human Services (DHS), or a nursing home, you may be eligible to register for intellectual disAbility service.

Who is Eligible?

To be eligible to receive intellectual disAbility service and supports, you must:

  • Have an IQ score of 70 or below
  • Have documentation that you had intellectual disAbility before your 22nd birthday
  • Have significant limitations in at least two areas of daily living, communication, self-care, home living, social/interpersonal skills, self-direction, academic skills, work, leisure, health and safety
  • Be a legal resident of the United States.

How Do You Get ID Services?

Call the Philadelphia Intellectual disAbility Service Registration Unit at 215-685-4MRS or 215-685-4677 to make an appointment with a Registration Specialist. You may also log on to the COMPASS (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services) at https://www.humanservices.state.pa.us/compass/ to register for services.

What to Bring to the Appointment

The individual requesting services and his/her family member or friend, should come to the registration appointment with the following information:

  • Personal Identification
  • A current psychological evaluation
  • Consumer's financial information: benefit award letter, copies of pay stubs, life insurance policies, burial reserve accounts, checking or savings accounts statements

You will meet once or twice with a Intellectual disAbility Service (IDS) Registration Specialist who will determine your eligibility for ID services. If you are not receiving Medical Assistance and are eligible, the Registration Specialist will help you enroll.

If You Are Eligible for ID Services

The Registration Specialist will look at your needs and resources, help you begin developing a plan, discuss services and make a referral to a Supports Coordination Organization (SCO). He or she will complete forms including:

  • The waiting list form (PUNS).
  • Application for waiver services
  • Social Summary

If all the information is complete in this process known as Service Preference, you will receive a letter within 45 days notifying you of your eligibility determination for the waiver, the availability of funding for services, and your rights including the mediation and appeal process.

You will be given a choice of available organizations for Supports Coordination.

If You are Requesting Services

There is a waiting list for Waiver Services. Your Supports Coordinator will work with you to find other resources in the community while you wait for intellectual disAbility service.

If You are not Eligible for ID Services

The Registration Specialist will give you suggestions of the appropriate community resources if you do not meet the eligibility requirements for ID Services.

Infant Toddler Early Intervention Services

Early Intervention in Pennsylvania is services and supports designed to help families with young children with developmental delays. Infant Toddler Early Intervention services support eligible children from birth to three years of age. For more detailed information on Early Intervention services, including the Preschool Early Intervention Program called "SEEDS" (Special Education for Early Success) for children ages three to the age of beginners, click on the words "Early Intervention Services" on the left hand side of this page.

Who Is Eligible For Infant Toddler Early Intervention?

Children under the age of three who live in Pennsylvania are eligible for Infant Toddler Early Intervention services. Infants and toddlers are eligible for early intervention when they have:

  • a significant delay in one or more areas of development;
  • a specialist's determination that there is a delay even though it doesn't show up on the assessments (called informed clinical opinion); and
  • know physical or mental conditions which have a high probability for developmental delays.

How Do You Get Infant Toddler Early Intervention Services?

If you have concerns about an infant or toddler's talking, feeding, walking, handling toys, vision, hearing or playing alone or with others, the first step is to call ChildLink at (215) 731-2110. A ChildLink Registration Coordinator will talk with you about your child and listen to your concerns.

Through a single call to (215) 731-2110, a ChildLink Registration Coordinator will assist all callers to begin the process to determine whether the child is eligible for early intervention.