Resources
and services

Get help in a crisis

Call our Special Needs Unit at 1-855-346-9828 (TTY: 711). Then just choose the crisis option to reach our behavioral health hotline.

If you’re thinking of hurting yourself or someone else, get help right away. Call 988 or go to the nearest hospital. No matter what time of day, you’re not alone. There are resources to help you in a crisis.

More about behavioral health

If you don’t have a ride to an appointment, we can help. We cover rides for medical reasons, like doctor visits and dental care. A care manager can set up a ride for you with our partner, Modivcare. Just call our Special Needs Unit at 1-855-346-9828 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, from 8 AM to 5 PM.

Learn more about rides

Need a quick answer to a health question? The 24-Hour Nurse Line is here for you. If you can’t wait until you can see your doctor, call 1-800-822-2447 (TTY: 711) anytime. Then, choose the option for the Nurse Line.

Need language help? Just call 1-800-822-2447 (TTY: 711). You can get:

• Interpreter services at no cost during any service or complaint process, including American Sign Language and real-time oral interpretation
• Interpreter services for your medical visit (be sure to call 48 hours before your visit)
• Info in another format, like audio, large print or braille
• Materials in other languages if your main language isn’t English

We know you have lots of questions about COVID-19. We’re here to support you with answers. Just check these resources to learn more:  

COVID-19 info and updates

Behavioral health includes services for mental health and substance use. Do you or someone you love need help with behavioral health issues? Here are a few resources you’ll want to check out:

National resources

• Alcoholics Anonymous® website
  
• Narcotics Anonymous website
• Check the Facts for Families Guide for info on topics that affect kids, teens and their families.
• Find info about topics from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in college students to self-injury in adolescents. Just check the Moving Into Adulthood Resource Center.
• Boys Town National Hotline® (for teens, parents and families) 1-800-448-3000
• Call the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine at 1-800-950-6264. You can call Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 6 PM ET. Or email Info@NAMI.org. You can also visit the NAMI website for answers to common questions about mental health.
• Learn more about depression from the National Institute of Mental Health.
• SAMHSA’s National Helpline (for drug and alcohol treatment referral and service info) 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357) (TTY: 1-800-487-4889)
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website
• National Eating Disorders Association

If you’re afraid for your safety, you can take action. People who experience domestic violence and sexual assault can get legal protection. This also includes help with stalking and restraining orders.

If someone is hurting you, reach out for help by calling: 

• PA Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV)
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 (TTY: 1-800-787-3224)
  

For your safety: Many of these sites have a “quick exit” option so you can quickly hide that browser window for safety reasons. AIso, be sure to erase your browser history after visiting these sites.   

Whether you smoke or use other forms of nicotine, we can help you quit. It’s not easy, but with the right plan and support, you can reach your goal.

Just check out these resources to help you get started:

• PA Free Quitline: 1-800-QUIT-NOW
• Smokefree.gov
  
• American Cancer Society guide to quitting smoking
• What you need to know about vaping
• Vaping conversation guide

• PA Department of Health – Healthy Families
• Pennsylvania Department of Human Services – CHIP

We work with many local partners to ensure you get the support you need. Here’s a list of some of those organizations and how we partner with them to help you and others in your community:

• 211: You can get help finding free or reduced-cost resources. These include food and supplies, housing, health and wellness services, legal services and more. Call 211 or visit the 211 website.
• Crispus Attucks York Center: Early learning and youth job training for underserved youth
• PA Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV): Advocacy for youth impacted by domestic violence
• Communities in Schools of PA (CISPA): Engages parents and helps students get critical services from their school system
• The Salvation Army’s Camp Allegheny: Residential summer camp focused on kids’ mental and physical well-being
• Council Of Spanish Speaking Organizations (CONCILIO): Intervention services and trauma care for LatinX kids and their families 
• Manna: Customized nutrition services for those with a serious illness
• No More Secrets: Holistic programs to promote menstrual health among minority or under-resourced communities
• Pennsylvania Court-Appointed Special Advocates (PA CASA ): Health care training for volunteer advocates of child victims of abuse, neglect or abandonment 
• Ebenezer Baptist Church Meals Ministry: Distributes meals and basic nutrition to residents of the Hill District area 
• Spanish American Multi-Cultural Community Center: Connects ethnic minorities to food, health care and housing resources

• The American Diabetes Association works to prevent and cure diabetes. See how they help improve the lives of people affected by diabetes.
• The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers info about childhood obesity and how to prevent it.
• The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has support groups, symptom management info and more to help people living with asthma.
• The PA Free Quitline offers no-judgement counseling for quitting tobacco at 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

If you’re a new parent living in Philadelphia, you can use the Pacify mobile app for breastfeeding help. The app and services are free. You can use it to video chat with breastfeeding experts about your questions and concerns 24 hours a day. 

Get your enrollment code and learn more about the Pacify app (PDF).

We want to improve your health care experience no matter what your background is. If you’re African American, you may have unique health care needs. You may also feel more comfortable with providers who share your background. We get it and are here to help. 

We’ve created these brochures with tips and info to help you and your family be as healthy as possible. 

Chronic disease management for African Americans (PDF) 

Maternity and early childcare for African Americans (PDF)

Members with special health care needs have medical conditions that will last at least one year. If you or your child has special health care needs, you can get help.

Just check out these resources to learn more:

• Autism and Intellectual Disabilities in Pennsylvania
• PA Families, Inc.
• Autism Society
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• National Association for Down Syndrome
• The Arc

Learn more about early childhood education. You can also find a Head Start near you.

WIC is a national nutrition program for pregnant or breastfeeding women and families with children younger than 5. The Pennsylvania WIC program provides these services at no cost:  

• Help with breastfeeding questions  
• Referrals to agencies  
• Healthy food, like fruits and vegetables   
• Healthy eating tips  

You can call WIC to see if you and your child can use the service: 1-800-WIC-WINS. Or visit the WIC website for more info. 

United Way focuses on creating community-based and community-led solutions for a good quality of life. Find a United Way near you.