Contacts
Parents and education-system professionals who have additional questions or concerns may contact the following:
As a first point of contact, if unsure about where to start with resources from the Department of Human Services, please contact Samantha Murphy, DHS Education Liaison at Samantha.Murphy@AlleghenyCounty.us or 412-350-2441.
For questions concerning children and young adults who are served by the Office of Children, Youth and Families or who are in an out-of-home placement:
Bruce Nichols: 412-350-3812, Bruce.Nichols@AlleghenyCounty.us
For questions concerning children and young adults who have mental health concerns and/or are living with serious emotional disorders or learning disabilities:
Ruth Ann Koss: 412-350-3374, RuthAnn.Koss@alleghenycounty.us
Or for information on the Department of Human Services’ Children’s Team, check out the new 
Children’s Team Profile
For questions concerning children and young adults who have a diagnosis of mental retardation
Office of Intellectual Disability: 412-436-2750
• Intake and Registration, 412-253-1250
• Outreach and Education Community Liaison Supervisor, 412-253-1251, Mary.Figlar@AlleghenyCounty.us
• Individual, Family and Community Resource Coordinator, 412-253-1596
For questions concerning transition-aged youth involved with the Office of Children, Youth and Families and served by the Independent Living Initiative DHS-IndependentLiving@AlleghenyCounty.us
For questions concerning children and young adults who are homeless
Samantha Murphy, Samantha.Murphy@AlleghenyCounty.us or 412-350-2441
For questions, concerns or complaints about any DHS service or DHS provider service
Director’s Action Line dal@AlleghenyCounty.us or 1-800-862-6783
Paper version of this information
Additional Assistance
The role of the DHS Education Liaison is to enhance and coordinate the existing framework within Allegheny County Department of Human Services that serves youth with educational barriers and behavioral health concerns, and promote success to continued education opportunities. The goal to strengthen cross-systems collaboration and school partnerships to ensure educational continuity and school stability in order to improve educational outcomes.
Professionals in the education-system, whose questions or concerns have not been sufficiently addressed by any of the listed contacts, may contact the DHS Education Liaison at Samantha.Murphy@AlleghenyCounty.us or call 412-350-2441.
DHS/Community Resources to Support County Residents is a categorized list of links and phone numbers related to information about human services in Allegheny County.