The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) was created in 1997 to consolidate the provision of human services across Allegheny County. 

DHS is responsible for providing and administering publicly-funded human services to Allegheny County residents. DHS is dedicated to meeting these human services needs, most particularly for the county's vulnerable populations, through an extensive range of information exchange, prevention, early intervention, case management, crisis intervention and after-care services.

DHS provides a wide range of services, including services for older adults; mental health and drug and alcohol services (includes 24-hour crisis counseling); child protective services; at-risk child development and education; hunger services; emergency shelters and housing for the homeless; energy assistance; non-emergency medical transportation; job training and placement for transition age youth, public assistance recipients and older adults; and services for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

The Director’s Action Line (DAL) 1-800-862-6783 operates during normal business hours to answer questions and field concerns about any service provided through DHS.  

The Allegheny County Department of Human Services provides services to eligible individuals without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, political affiliation, disability, familial status, military service, or religious, community or social affiliations.

Related information

 The Anatomy of County Human Services Funding, produced by the Pennsylvania Association of County Human Services Administrators (an affiliation of the County  Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP)), this 25-page document includes six sections of educational material entitled: The Framework of County Human Services Funding, A Case Study: Child Welfare Framework, Grant Systems, Funding Formulas, HealthChoices as a Model and Recommendations by CCAP.

 Building the Framework for Human Service Integration: Allegheny County, Pa. 
Policy and Practice Magazine, December 2011 

 DHS One-page Summary includes annual totals for budget, persons served, providers and staff, contact information and an overview of the services offered through DHS Offices.

 DHS/Community Resources to Support County Residents is a categorized list of links and phone numbers related to information about human services in Allegheny County.

DHS Organizational Chart provides a high-level look at the organization of DHS.

 HSDF - County Human Services Safety Net, produced by the Pennsylvania Association of County Human Services Administrators (an affiliation of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP)), this two-page document includes educational information about the history and utilization of the Human Services Development Fund.