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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
Ride-Hailing for Medical Transportation Clients Improves Experience and Efficiency
February 5, 2019
Allegheny County Medicaid recipients are entitled to free transportation assistance to their non-emergency medical appointments. Traditionally, this transportation has been provided by paratransit vehicles for those not able to utilize public transpo...
Do Family Support Centers Reduce Maltreatment Investigations? Evidence from Allegheny County
January 28, 2019
The Center for State Child Welfare Data analyzed Allegheny County data to explore whether the presence of a Family Support Center in a neighborhood is associated with lower child welfare maltreatment investigation rates. The analysis found that areas...
2018 Case Competition for Graduate Students: Emerging Technologies to Address Human Service Problems
January 24, 2019
Each year, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) hosts a competition for local graduate students that challenges interdisciplinary teams to solve a problem in local government. This year’s topic, “Emerging Technologies to Addres...
Allegheny County Child Fatalities and Near-Fatalities, 2017
December 12, 2018
In Allegheny County in 2017, there were 12 child fatalities or near-fatalities that were the result of suspected abuse or neglect. The County is required by state law to review each of these fatal or near-fatal events and use the information to impro...
Allegheny County Jail Population Management Dashboards
November 29, 2018
These dashboards provide an overview of the population incarcerated in the Allegheny County Jail (ACJ) from 2010 to the present. The dashboards display information about the people booked in the ACJ; the people incarcerated in ACJ’s Alternative Hou...
Allegheny County Jail Collaborative Annual Report, 2017-2018
November 15, 2018
The Allegheny County Jail Collaborative is a group of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, volunteers and community members who are committed to improving the transition of people returning to the community after leaving the Allegheny County...
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...