Safety and Consumer Protection Tips

DHS promotes safety and well-being for county residents through the resources found on this page.

 

Safety Tips for Adults

For All Adults

For LGBTQ Support

  • Transgender Suicide Hotline
    Your life matters. Please call 1-877-565-8860 to make sense of your feelings.
  • The Family Acceptance Project
    Gives families ideas about how to decrease rejection and increase support for their LGBTQ children.
  • LGBTQ Resource Guide(XLSX, 45KB)
    There are resources and organizations to support persons who identify as LGBTQ.

Emergency Preparedness

Preparedness

Medical

Extreme Weather

Home Safety

Children, Youth and Young Adult Safety

Videos

All Children

Infants and Toddlers

  • Safe Haven
    You are allowed to leave your newborn (up to 28 days old) at any Pennsylvania hospital, in the care of hospital staff. As long as the baby has not been harmed or a victim of a crime, no questions will be asked.
  • Safe sleep for infants(PDF, 549KB)
    Find the best ways to ensure an infant's safe sleep to reduce the chance of death associated with unsafe sleep practices.
  • Soothing a crying baby(PDF, 2MB)
    Babies cry. Find ideas to help you soothe your crying baby. Remember, NEVER to shake an infant. Shaking an infant can cause permanent brain damage and even death.

Youth

  • Anti-luring(PDF, 322KB)
    You and your child can prepare and know how to stay safe in your neighborhood.
  • Anti-stigma
    Stand Together is an initiative that inspires and equips youth to take action against stigma associated with mental illness and substance use disorders by engaging area middle and high school students with anti-stigma training and service-learning experiences.
  • Stop Bullying Now!
    You and your child will find helpful ideas about how to "take a stand and lend a hand" to stop bullying.
  • Kids fire safety
    Find simple steps that can prevent fires and protect children.
  • Home alone safety(PDF, 599KB)
    Find information to help you decide if it's safe to leave your child home alone.
  • On-line safety
    Learn how to keep your child safe during on-line time.

Young adults

LGBTQ support

  • Transgender Suicide Hotline
    Your life matters. Please call 1-877-565-8860 to make sense of your feelings.
  • Battering Intervention Program(PDF, 132KB)
    Do you feel unsafe in your intimate-partner relationship? Do your words and actions cause your intimate partner to feel unsafe? Help is available.
  • The Family Acceptance Project
    The Family Acceptance Project gives families ideas about how to decrease rejection and increase support for their LGBTQ children.
  • LGBTQ Resource Guide(XLSX, 45KB)
    There are resources and organizations to support persons who identify as LGBTQ.

Older Adults

Persons with Disabilities

  • Adult Protective Services
    If you suspect that an adult with a disability, between the ages of 18 and 59 years, is being abused or is a victim of neglect please report your concerns by calling 1-800-490-8505.
  • Batterers Intervention Program(PDF, 132KB)
    Do you feel unsafe in your intimate-partner relationship? Do your words and actions cause your intimate partner to feel unsafe? Help is available.
  • How to Prevent a Death Due to Opioid Overdose
    Find information about how to avoid and prepare for an opioid overdose and how to respond if an overdose occurs.
  • Special Needs Registry
    If you have a physical, mental health or intellectual disability, you may voluntarily provide information to the Allegheny County Department of Emergency Services via the online Special Needs Registry. The information may then be shared with those responding to a police, fire or medical emergency at your home.

Avoid Being a Victim of a Scam

  • Duquesne Light warns of telephone scam demanding payment.
    Duquesne Light does NOT request payment over the phone. Please take a moment to report suspicious calls to their customer service center at 1-888-393-7100.
  • Fraud Center
    Operated by the National Consumers League, this site provides information about common scams and how to avoid falling victim to them.
  • IRS consumer alert
    There are always scams related to the IRS that scare vulnerable people into paying money to avert arrest, deportation or other meaningful threats. Do not be deceived. The IRS will never use the phone, email, text message or social media to threaten you with immediate harm, or demand your personal information or immediate payment using gift cards or wire transfers. Any valid IRS requests come by mail first and may be appealed.

Human Services (DHS)

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