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Opioid-Related Overdose Deaths in Allegheny County: Report and Data Visualizations
Allegheny County is experiencing opioid-related overdose rates higher than in the state and in the U.S. In 2016, 93 percent of overdose deaths in the County were opioid-related and 2016 represented the third consecutive year in which the number of fatal overdoses was higher than in any prior year. An increase in the presence of
Homicides in Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh, 2010-2015
In 2015, the national homicide rate increased for the first time in nine years. The homicide rate in Allegheny County stayed the same as the previous year and the City of Pittsburgh saw a 14 percent rate decrease from 2014. This is just one of the key findings included in this report examining data related
Developing Predictive Risk Models to Support Child Maltreatment Hotline Screening Decisions
In August 2016, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) implemented the Allegheny Family Screening Tool (AFST), a predictive risk model designed to improve call screening decision-making in the county’s child welfare system. The AFST is the result of a two-year process of exploration, research, ethical analysis and training. The AFST calculates a score
The Journey into Allegheny County’s Substance Use Disorder Treatment System
November 8, 2018
People struggling with unhealthy drug or alcohol use sometimes face challenges when it comes to accessing treatment. Research has found that lack of insurance, unfamiliarity with treatment options, a shortage of available treatment slots, and concern...
Survey Finds That Most Teens in Foster Care Are Able to Participate in Typical Youth Activities, with Some Challenges for Teens in Group Care
October 23, 2018
Teens in foster care sometimes face challenges when it comes to getting permission to do things like spending the night at a friend’s house, using the internet, or joining a school sports team. The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS...
Collaboration Helps Hundreds of Allegheny County Students in Foster Care Remain in Their Home Schools
September 19, 2018
When a child is placed in a foster home, the resulting move can also mean living in a new school district. Research has shown that unplanned school changes can lead to worse educational outcomes, such as lower test scores and graduation rates. A 2015...
Pilot Program Uses Technology to Collect Quick, Actionable Feedback from Human Services Clients
September 10, 2018
The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) continuously strives to better understand our clients’ experiences and incorporate that feedback into service planning. We recently tested satisfaction kiosks as a new way of collecting feedba...
Allegheny County Data Warehouse
August 13, 2018
The Allegheny County Data Warehouse brings together and integrates client and service data from a wide variety of sources both internal and external to the County. It was created by consolidating publicly-funded human services data (e.g., behavioral ...
Clients Using Allegheny County Homelessness Programs: Interactive Dashboard
July 26, 2018
This dashboard displays data about homelessness programs in Allegheny County and the people using them. Data comes from the Allegheny County Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and covers January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2017. Customize...
2017 Case Competition for Local Graduate Students: Rethinking Human Services Delivery
July 18, 2018
Each year, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) hosts a competition for local graduate students that challenges interdisciplinary teams to learn about a problem facing local government and develop innovative solutions. The 2017 com...
Moving a Child Welfare System to Be More Affirming of the LGBTQ Community: Strategies, Challenges and Lessons Learned
June 28, 2018
In an effort to provide affirming services to LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, queer/questioning) communities involved with Allegheny County’s Department of Human Services (DHS), the first Department-wide LGBTQ work group began in 2009. ...
Annual Reports of the Consumer Action Response Team (CART)
June 21, 2018
The Allegheny County Consumer Action Response Team (CART) gathers feedback from consumers of publicly-funded behavioral health services, which include mental health services and drug and alcohol treatment for adults, children and families. CART condu...