Quick Reference Guide




ABOUT 
THE GUIDE 

This Quick Reference Guide is designed to help 
you quickly access valuable resources, services, 
and programs for children. It will direct you to more 
detailed information about Early Intervention and Early 
Learning. To help you provide the best care for the children 
in your family, important contact information for other 
support services, such as medical benefits, mental health 
services, addiction treatment, and nutrition programs, is 
listed here as well. 


Your Child’s Milestones 
To learn about your child’s basic developmental milestones 
and how to refer your child to Early Intervention, visit the PA’s 
Promise for Children website at www.papromiseforchildren.com . 
An “Early Learning GPS” tool and other materials are available 
there to help you track your child’s milestones. For a detailed 
description of Early Intervention services, go to http://
www.pattan.net/category/Resources/PaTTAN%20Publications/
Browse/Single/?id=4de68cf4150ba04435070000 to download a 
helpful “Watch Me Grow” brochure. If you believe that your child 
is experiencing developmental, educational, or behavioral delays 
or issues, call the CONNECT Helpline at 1-800-692-7288 to be 
connected to an Early Intervention program in your area. 

Your Child’s Behavior and Temperament 

To understand why children behave a certain way, go to http://
papromiseforchildren.com/help-your-child-grow/dealing-with-
challenging-behaviors/. Topics include teaching your child vital 
social skills, tips on temperament, solutions for challenging 
behaviors, soothing a crying baby, and addressing sleep issues. 

Virtual Visitation 

As you encourage the relationship between children and their 
incarcerated loved ones, the Virtual Visitation Program can help. 
It provides visitation via videoconferencing for offenders and their 
approved visitors. Sometimes visitors are unable to travel long 
distances to visit incarcerated loved ones, and the Virtual Visitation 
Program helps to bridge this gap. For more information call 
1-877-658-8474. 

Immunizations and Clinics 

To learn about when your child should be immunized and to locate 
an immunization clinic near you, call 1-866-PA-HEALTH, or visit 
http://www.health.pa.gov/Your-Department-of-Health/Offices%
20and%20Bureaus/Bureaus/Pages/Back-to-School-Immunization-
Clinics.aspx#.Vb9r_WTD_5h . 

More Educational Areas of Interest 

For information about other educational topics for children in 
grades K-12, visit the PA Department of Education’s website at 
http://www.education.pa.gov/K-12/Pages/default.aspx . This web-
site includes many programs that may apply to your child, such as: 


QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE 


. Homeless Education 
. Charter Schools 
. Gifted Education 
. Migrant Education 
. Private Schools 
. GED/GED Testing 


. Opening Doors in PA 
. Special Education 
. Alternative Education 
. Safe Schools 
. Tutoring Services 
. English as a Second Language (ESL) 



GENERAL RESOURCE CONTACTS
 

Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) 
Phone: 717-346-9320 
CONNECT Helpline: 1-800-692-7288 
http://www.dhs.pa.gov/citizens/childcareearlylearning/index.htm. 


Department of Education 
Phone (General): 717-783-6788 

To access and explore a range of educational information, visit 
http://www.education.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx . 

Department of Human Services 
Phone: 1-800-692-7462 
To access and explore a range of services for children, visit 
http://www.dhs.pa.gov/learnaboutdhs/helpfultelephonenumbers/
childcareinformationservices/index.htm#.VkIdyL-L6z4 . 


Office of Children and Families in the Courts 
Phone: 717-231-3300 
For information on foster care and other child welfare topics, 
visit http://www.ocfcpacourts.us/parents-and-families/information, or 
go to http://www.ocfcpacourts.us/assets/files/list- 246/file1453.pdf . 

Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services(OMHSAS) 
Phone (National Helpline): 1-800-662-HELP (3457) 
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) 

To find statewide behavioral/mental health services, go to 
http://www.parecovery.org/ . To find statewide addiction 
treatment and recovery programs, go to https:/ 
apps.ddap.pa.govGetHelpNow/ . 


Autism Services 

For autism-related resources and information, call 1-877-231- 
4244, or go to http://www.paautism.org/. 


Domestic Violence Prevention/Child Safety 

Phone (National Domestic Violence Hotline): 
1-800-799-7233 (SAFE)/ 1-800-787-3224 (TTY for the Deaf) or 
visit http://www.pcadv.org/ . 
Phone (To Report Child Abuse): 1-800-932-0313 
http://keepkidssafe.pa.gov/ . To learn how to identify the signs of child 
abuse and neglect, go to https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/can/
identifying/ . 



COMPASS - Medical/Nutrition (SNAP)/Cash Assistance Benefits 

Phone (COMPASS Helpline): 1-800-692-7462 
For more benefits and services, including medical assistance, financial 
assistance, food stamps, and energy assistance programs, visit 
https:/ www.compass.state.pa.us/Compass.Web . 


Tom Wolf, Governor