Skip to code content (skip section selection)
Compare to:
Philadelphia Overview
The Philadelphia Code
PHILADELPHIA HOME RULE CHARTER
THE PHILADELPHIA CODE
TITLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
TITLE 2. CITY-COUNTY CONSOLIDATION
TITLE 3. AIR MANAGEMENT CODE
TITLE 4. THE PHILADELPHIA BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND OCCUPANCY CODE
TITLE 4.1. ELECTRICAL CODE
TITLE 4.2. PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE
TITLE 5. FIRE PREVENTION CODE
TITLE 6. HEALTH CODE
TITLE 7. HOUSING CODE
TITLE 8. PLUMBING CODE
TITLE 9. REGULATION OF BUSINESSES, TRADES AND PROFESSIONS
TITLE 10. REGULATION OF INDIVIDUAL CONDUCT AND ACTIVITY
TITLE 11. STREETS
TITLE 12. TRAFFIC CODE
TITLE 13. WATER AND SEWER
TITLE 14. ZONING AND PLANNING
TITLE 15. PARKS AND RECREATION
TITLE 16. PUBLIC PROPERTY
TITLE 17. CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT
TITLE 18. COMMERCE AND AVIATION
TITLE 19. FINANCE, TAXES AND COLLECTIONS
TITLE 20. OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES
TITLE 21. MISCELLANEOUS
CHAPTER 21-100. CITY EMBLEMS, COLORS AND AWARDS
CHAPTER 21-200. SCHOLARSHIPS
CHAPTER 21-300. POLICE ALARM SIGNAL SYSTEM 8
CHAPTER 21-400. CIVIL DEFENSE
CHAPTER 21-500. SPECIAL ORDINANCES
CHAPTER 21-600. CITY INSTITUTIONS
CHAPTER 21-700. WAIVER OF GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITY (REPEALED)
CHAPTER 21-800. ADVANCEMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES
CHAPTER 21-900. SERVICES TO THE AGING
CHAPTER 21-900A. THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA
CHAPTER 21-1000. POLICE UNIFORMS
CHAPTER 21-1100. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 21-1200. CITIZENS POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION
CHAPTER 21-1300. BOARD OF LICENSE AND INSPECTION REVIEW
CHAPTER 21-1400. TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICTS
CHAPTER 21-1500. BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS - PUBLIC DELIBERATIONS
CHAPTER 21-1600. HOUSING TRUST FUND
CHAPTER 21-1700. PUBLICATION OF NOTICES BY CITY
CHAPTER 21-1800. FOSTER CARE
CHAPTER 21-1900. FREEDOM FROM ABUSE RIGHTS REPORTING
CHAPTER 21-2000. POLICE ACCIDENT REPORTS
CHAPTER 21-2100. PROGRAM-BASED BUDGETING
CHAPTER 21-2200. COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS FOR CAPITAL BUDGETING
CHAPTER 21-2300. FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENTS
CHAPTER 21-2400. ELECTRONIC OPTION REQUIREMENT
CHAPTER 21-2500. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGIC PLAN
CHAPTER 21-2600. ADMINISTRATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS
CHAPTER 21-2700. MUNICIPAL IDENTIFICATION CARDS
CHAPTER 21-2800. FIRE SERVICE PARAMEDIC SAFETY AND HEALTH
CHAPTER 21-2900. DISSEMINATION OF MISSING AND ENDANGERED PERSONS ALERT VIA INTERNET
CHAPTER 21-3000. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE REPORTING
CHAPTER 21-3100. REPORTING RELATED TO CIVIL ACTIONS
CHAPTER 21-3200. BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS AND SPECIAL SERVICES DISTRICTS
CHAPTER 21-3300. FLAG RAISINGS
CHAPTER 21-3400. YOUTH NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS PROTECTION
TITLE 22. PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT CODE
CHAPTER 21-1800. FOSTER CARE 67

 

Notes

67
   Added, Bill No. 100755 (approved June 22, 2011).
§ 21-1801. Approval of Foster Parents.
   (1)   After a prospective foster parent has been approved by a foster family care agency, pursuant to 23 Pa. C.S. § 6344, the Department of Human Services (hereinafter, "The Department"), subject to its discretion as to appropriate management of foster care placements, shall not authorize any placement with such prospective foster parent until the Department has first:
      (a)   Reviewed and considered any history of involvement with the Department by such prospective foster parent. The Department shall not place any child with a foster parent whose history of involvement with the Department, in combination with other relevant factors, demonstrates an inability to safely and appropriately care for a foster child.
      (b)   Itself or through its agent, reviewed and considered the prospective foster parent's ability and willingness to accept a foster child's relationship with his or her own parents; and to work in partnership with a foster family care agency, including the prospective foster parent's role in facilitating appropriate family and sibling visits. Once a child is placed in a foster home, the Department shall not continue to authorize such placement if the foster parent demonstrates an unwillingness or inability to facilitate appropriate family and sibling visits.
§ 21-1802. Consultation with Former and Current Foster Children.
   Former foster children who are now adults as well as current foster children shall be consulted by the Department in conjunction with policies concerning the placement of children with foster parents. Such consultation can be through an already established advisory board or through a newly created entity, however such entity shall have no less than four former foster care children and one current foster care child.
§ 21-1803. Foster Youth Benefits. 68
   (1)   This section applies to children committed to the custody of the Philadelphia Department of Human Services.
   (2)   Screening and Application for Benefits. The Department of Human Services, or such other City department or office as the Mayor may designate, is authorized to develop and implement procedures to:
      (a)   Ensure all children are screened for potential eligibility for Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Veterans or other various benefits within 60 days of being committed to DHS custody;
      (b)   Apply for the benefits, in cooperation with the child's attorney or guardian ad litem, if the screening results in a determination that the child is potentially eligible for any of such benefits;
      (c)   Identify, in cooperation with the child's attorney or guardian ad litem, a representative payee of the beneficiary's highest priority in accordance with the established categories of preferred payees in 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.2021 and 416.621, and apply to become the representative payee if there is no other suitable candidate available;
      (d)   Support the maintenance of benefits for youth who are transitioning out of foster care or reach the age of legal adulthood.
   (3)   Conservation and Use of Benefits. To the full extent of Council's legislative authority and provided compliance would not violate 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3140 or any other requirements for financial reimbursement of county services by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, when the Department serves as a representative payee for a child receiving Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Veterans or other various benefits, the Department shall:
      (a)   Use or conserve the benefits in the specific child's interest, as determined in cooperation with the child and the child's attorney or guardian ad litem, including using the benefits for services or needs not otherwise provided by the Department or covered by health insurance (e.g., disability aids, a car, or tools of the trade for employed youth) or conserving the benefits for the child's reasonably foreseeable future needs;
      (b)   Ensure that for every child in the Department's custody, the child's benefits are not used to reimburse the City or County for the costs of care for the child or other payments made by the City or County to cover any other cost or expense for an individual in DHS custody;
      (c)   Monitor any federal asset or resource limit for the benefits and ensure that the specific child's best interest is served by using or conserving the benefits in a way that avoids violating any federal asset or resource limit, including conserving funds by establishing individual financial accounts in accordance with 20 C.F.R. § 416.645.
   (4)   Notice. The Department is authorized to ensure notification to the child through the child's attorney or guardian ad litem of any application, decision, communication, or appeal related to the child's Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Veterans or other various benefits.
   (5)   Annual Reporting. The Department of Human Services, or such other City department or office as the Mayor may designate, shall collect, maintain, and provide data relating to the application, use, and conservation of federal benefits for foster youth in DHS custody in an annual report provided to the public.

 

Notes

68
   Added, Bill No. 220239 (became law September 29, 2022).