Department of Human Services (DHS) Emergency Fund
The Department of Human Services (DHS) Emergency Fund supports the delivery of funding to families in the child welfare system. Emergency funding for child- or household-related expenses, administered by PHMC, is designed to provide the resources necessary to keep children safe in their homes, to reunite children with their families in a timely manner and to achieve permanency through adoption or subsidized permanent legal custodianship by DHS-paid caregivers.
Additional resources:
- Provide training and technical assistance for completing application materials
- Review applications
- Administer funding
- Track outcomes
Contact Us
1500 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Eligibility Criteria
Families/children for whom DHS is in the process of conducting an investigation or assessment, or who have been accepted for service, are eligible beneficiaries of the fund.
This includes:
- Parents/caregivers with children in the child welfare system
- Parents/caregivers seeking the return of their children
- DHS-paid caregivers assuming permanent responsibility for children
Referral Process
A child’s or family’s social worker — either via DHS or a provider agency — must submit an application on their behalf.
Documentation needed for the application will include:
- Verification of risk and income
- Verification of the expenses requested
- Review from the social worker’s supervisor
