Dauphin County

Dauphin County

The county seat of Dauphin County is Harrisburg. Dauphin County is located along the eastern bank of the Susquehanna River in South Central Pennsylvania. The southern half of the County is situated in the Kittatinny Valley; the northern half is located at the base of the Blue Mountains of the Appalachian Range. Dauphin County is organized as a Third Class County.

In Dauphin County, the Human Services Director’s Office serves as an administrative hub for directing centralized planning for County Human Services agencies and direct human services. The Human Services’ Departments of Mental Health/Autism/Developmental Programs , Children and Youth, Department of Drug and Alcohol Services, and the Area Agency on Aging are under the auspices of the Human Services Director’s Office.

 

Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities Program

Mission
The Dauphin County MH/A/DP provides funding and administrative oversight for services in our community that support people and their families living with developmental delays, mental illness, autism and intellectual disabilities. Our mission is to assure that these services are of the highest quality possible, are cost-effective, and are readily available to all who need them. We promote family-centered services in our early intervention program, recovery and resiliency in our mental health program, and self-determination in our intellectual disabilities program.

Vision
Every person and family that we serve will have a network of family, friends, advocates, and supportive services to provide assistance in living a full and productive life in our community.

Values
The Dauphin County MH/A/DP will develop a continuum of services that assures that:

    1. All persons, families, providers, and community partners are treated with honesty, dignity, and respect.
    2. Service providers work in partnership with individuals, family members identified by the individual or family, and other providers to assure consistency and coordination of services.
    3. Service providers share in the responsibility for positive results from services and supports, and they undertake active measures to facilitate individual and family success.
    4. Services are developed to meet identified needs of individuals and families and are readily accessible and available.
    5. Services are delivered in a manner that improves individual’s life satisfaction and promotes independence.
    6. Individuals maintain control of their lives and exercise choice in the services and supports that they receive.
    7. Individuals are encouraged to use natural supports in their communities and to exercise their rights to participate fully in their communities.
    8. The health and safety of individuals is promoted and protected, and their rights are abridged only to protect the health and safety of the individual or the community.
    9. Funds are utilized efficiently and equitably.
    10. Individual, family, and cultural experiences, values, and preferences are respected and are integral to service planning.

Mental Health Services
Mental illness affects the way a person thinks, feels, interacts and behaves. Individuals experiencing a mental health problem have a wide range of services available to them in Dauphin County. These services include:

    1. Emergency assessment, brief counseling, and referral services, including Mobile, Walk-in, and Telephone Crisis Intervention services
    2. Community supports and service planning to promote recovery, resiliency and independence
    3. Outpatient counseling and psychiatric services
    4. Day treatment programs
    5. Short-term inpatient hospitalization
    6. Socialization activities and drop-in centers
    7. Structured residential programming and supports
    8. Consultation and education services
    9. Information and referral services

Information on Mental Health/Autism/Developmental Programs and services  can be obtained by calling (717) 780-7050.

SCA Overview

Dauphin County drug & alcohol services are provided by Dauphin County Department of Drug and Alcohol Services. The Department serves as the Single County Authority (SCA) for Dauphin County, responsible for the planning, coordination, and administration of local alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention, intervention and treatment services.

The mission of the Dauphin County Department of Drug and Alcohol Services is to serve those affected with substance abuse problems by providing high quality prevention, intervention and treatment services in Dauphin County. To accomplish this mission, the Department will utilize a variety of subcontracted providers to fulfill the continuum of care in the areas of treatment, prevention and intervention.

Treatment services, including screenings and assessments, are accessible by Dauphin County residents through multiple points of access including the Department as well as any contracted drug and alcohol treatment providers in the county. The level of treatment services available are:

  • Adult and Adolescent Outpatient
  • Adult Methadone Maintenance Outpatient
  • Adult and Adolescent Intensive Outpatient
  • Adult Partial Hospitalization
  • Adult Halfway House
  • Adult and Adolescent Non Hospital based Detoxification
  • Adult and Adolescent Hospital Based Detoxification
  • Adult and Adolescent Non Hospital based Inpatient
  • Adult Hospital based Inpatient
  • Women with Children Inpatient treatment
  • Specialized services for people with HIV
  • Latino Outpatient and Inpatient Services
  • Buprenorphine Coordination
  • Preferential services to pregnant women and injection drug users

It is the Department’s practice to ensure the provision of drug and alcohol treatment, prevention, education, and intervention services to the citizens of Dauphin County in an efficient, cost-effective, and high quality manner. Within its office, the Department is comprised of three units: (1) administrative, fiscal, and contracting; (2) case management; (3) prevention and intervention. The Department contracts with over 45 treatment, intervention and prevention providers in and outside of the County to assure the delivery of comprehensive services to its citizens. Additional services are:

  • Transitional Living for recovering women and women with children
  • Outcomes based Preventions services
  • Student Assistance Program Liaison services provided in Elementary, Middle and High Schools in all Dauphin County School Districts
  • Support Groups for adults and adolescents for drug and alcohol or tobacco
  • Case Management, Resource Coordination and Intensive Case Management including specialized case management for pregnant women and women with children
  • Training Institute for professionals in the drug and alcohol field as well as to the general public
  • HIV/AIDS Outreach
  • Resource Center which provides drug and alcohol material, films, tapes, etc.
  • Injection Drug Use Outreach
  • Recovery Support services