09/22/2023
DHS informed Pennsylvanians of a potential phone call scam. DHS will never ask for information about any public assistance programs or personal financial information via unsolicited or random phone calls or texts.
09/19/2023
PennLive Editorial Board Lauds Governor’s Call to Action to Hear, Assist Pennsylvanians with Intellectual Disabilities, Families, and Caregivers
09/18/2023
DHS and leaders from multiple state agencies and suicide prevention advocacy groups, joined together to recognize September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
09/14/2023
DHS and Agriculture visited Downtown Daily Bread to highlight the importance of food assistance programs and the charitable food network to help people facing food insecurity as well as how the Shapiro Administration is working to help Pennsylvanians meet this essential need.
09/14/2023
Advocates and members of the intellectual disability and autism community expressed their support for and appreciation of the announcement that DHS will begin updating the data used to set reimbursement rates for workers who provide HCBS.
09/13/2023
DHS today released the latest issue of the Positive Approaches Journal, which aims to provide the most recent research and resources for people with mental health and behavioral challenges, intellectual disabilities, autism, and other developmental disabilities to live an everyday life.
09/11/2023
The Shapiro Administration today announced that DHS will begin updating the data used to set rates for home and community-based services for Pennsylvanians with intellectual disabilities and autism – a necessary first step for greater support for this essential field and the Pennsylvanians who benefit from and rely on this care.
08/30/2023
DHS and Pennie® joined representatives from Neighborhood Health Centers of Lehigh Valley, the City of Allentown, and Lehigh County today for a roundtable discussion about how state and local partners are working together to support Pennsylvanians through federal changes to Medicaid and CHIP renewal requirements and keep them covered.
08/23/2023
DHS and Pennie joined representatives from Community Action Partnership today to highlight how the Shapiro Administration and community service centers are collaborating to support Pennsylvanians through federal changes to Medicaid and CHIP renewal requirements so they can complete their renewals.
08/16/2023
Applications for LIHWAP will now remain open until Friday, August 18, 2023; the original deadline was August 11.
08/15/2023
DHS announced that a new flexibility in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will allow certain college students who meet eligibility requirements to receive SNAP benefits but who traditionally do not qualify because of their status as a student.
08/14/2023
DHS released the 2022 Annual Child Protective Services Report, which provides statewide and county-level data on the efforts to protect and help children who were reported as victims of suspected abuse and neglect.
08/10/2023
The Department of Human Services is notifying affected Pennsylvanians whose information may have been accessed by an unauthorized actor.
08/09/2023
DHS and DOH joined representatives from Hannah Penn School, Family First Health (FFH), and the United Health Foundation today to discuss a shared commitment of improving health care access for underserved communities through school-based health centers.
08/03/2023
DHS announced the Commonwealth’s contract with Real Alternatives – an organization that purports to provide counseling, referrals, and other services through partnerships with crisis pregnancy centers – will come to an end by December 31, 2023.
07/31/2023
DHS and Pennie joined representatives from ACLAMO today to highlight how the Shapiro Administration and community service centers are collaborating to support Pennsylvanians through federal changes to Medicaid and CHIP renewal requirements so they can complete their renewals, protect their health, and stay covered.
07/28/2023
DHS and Pennie® recently discussed Medicaid renewals, health insurance enrollment, and answered questions live on air during the “Stay Covered PA” program hosted by ABC27.
07/27/2023
DHS today announced that recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) who have had their benefits electronically stolen are now able to have those benefits replaced.
07/21/2023
DHS announced that Pennsylvania will receive an estimated $42 million in federal funding through the Money Follows the Person Program to continue existing and support new activities that make serving individuals in the community possible.
07/21/2023
DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh, U.S. Senator Bob Casey, and Pennie Director of External Affairs Chachi Angelo joined representatives from River Valley Health and Dental Center today for a roundtable discussion about how federal, state, and local partners are working together to support Pennsylvanians through federal changes to Medicaid and CHIP renewal requirements and keep them covered.
07/17/2023
DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh joined representatives from Independence Blue Cross’ foundation and health plans as well as community health centers to discuss how the Shapiro Administration is working to support Pennsylvanians through federal changes to Medicaid and CHIP renewal requirements so they can complete their renewals on time, protect their health, and stay covered.
07/13/2023
DHS and PID joined representatives from Primary Care Health Services today to highlight how the Shapiro Administration and local health centers are collaborating to support Pennsylvanians through federal changes to Medicaid and CHIP renewal requirements so they can complete their renewals, protect their health, and stay covered.
07/12/2023
DHS joined Independence Health System today to highlight how the Shapiro Administration and community service centers are collaborating to support Pennsylvanians through federal changes to Medicaid and CHIP renewal requirements so they can complete their renewals, protect their health, and stay covered.
07/06/2023
DHS announced the Shapiro Administration is re-opening the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) to help Pennsylvanians with low incomes maintain access to drinking and wastewater services.
07/05/2023
DHS today announced a change in Medicaid that will allow certain enrolled medical providers to provide care outside a clinical setting to Medicaid beneficiaries who are experiencing homelessness – a practice known as street medicine.
06/29/2023
Val Arkoosh, MD, MPH officially becomes Secretary of the Department of Human Services (DHS) in accordance with the Pennsylvania Constitution. Arkoosh brings to the role a wealth of experiences as a physician, public health professional, and former county commissioner.
06/23/2023
DHS Acting Secretary Val Arkoosh delivered remarks at the 31st Annual Pennsylvania Permanency Conference in Monroe County. The conference hosts child welfare professionals, current and prospective foster or adoptive families, kinship care providers, and others with a vested interest in ensuring children have safe, permanent and loving homes.
06/16/2023
DHS today released the 2022 Market Rate Survey (MRS) Report, which assesses costs of care incurred by child care providers and payments made by families in care.
06/16/2023
DHS and Pennie joined representatives from Philadelphia FIGHT today to highlight how the Shapiro Administration and local health centers are collaborating to support Pennsylvanians through federal changes to Medicaid and CHIP renewal requirements so they can complete their renewals, protect their health, and stay covered.
06/13/2023
DHS today released the latest issue of the Positive Approaches Journal, which focuses on examining the stigma that persists around mental health and disabilities, and highlighting methods to combat and correct it.