Innovation and Reform
Allegheny County DHS Text Messaging Outreach: Interactive Dashboard
DHS sends text messages to county residents to increase awareness of services, provide reminders, and to gather feedback This dashboard displays information about these efforts. Updated daily.
Allegheny County Data Warehouse
Updated information added. View information about the Allegheny County Data Warehouse, which brings together and integrates client and service data from a wide variety of sources both internal and external to the County.
Annual Human Services Case Competition for Local Graduate Students
Updated 2023 information. Reports about DHS’s yearly case competition, which invites local graduate students on interdisciplinary teams to solve a problem in local government.
DHS Annual Plans and Budgets
In its responsibility for administering publicly-funded human services, Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) plans for the allocation of more than $1B in areas that span behavioral health, children […]
Allegheny County, PA seeks Director of Office of Children, Youth and Families
We are seeking a leader of experience, integrity and good judgment to fill the position of Director of Children Youth and Families for Allegheny County, PA. Deadline for applications is […]
Intimate Partner Violence Reform Initiative: Report on progress
The Intimate Partner Violence Reform Initiative was created in May 2022 to coordinate policy and system-level work across agencies in Allegheny County to improve a complex and fragmented system for […]
Generating a Fully Synthetic Human Services Dataset
In 2022, staff at the Urban Institute partnered with the Allegheny County DHS and the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center (WPRDC) to pilot synthetic data generation at the local level, […]
Using SMS text messaging to inform, engage and communicate with residents
The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) engages clients and others who interact with DHS programs in a variety of ways: regular roundtables/cabinets (e.g., Children’s Cabinet); town halls and […]
Measuring effectiveness: How and why DHS uses randomized pilots
At the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS), we work with more than 400 community organizations to keep children and older adults safe from abuse and neglect, connect them […]
Community Violence Reduction Initiative
This details the County’s plan, including strategies and investments, for implementation of the Community Violence Reduction Initiative. Overview: Working in partnership with the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) Office of […]
Allegheny County Discounted Fares Pilot Program
Allegheny County’s Discounted Fares Pilot pilot is a 12-month program that is providing Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) fare discounts for working-age Allegheny County recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) […]
Latinx Needs Assessment
The Latinx population in Allegheny County grew 80% between 2010 and 2020. This most recent community assessment report found several clear themes and opportunities for better serving the Latinx community.
Improving Crisis Prevention and Response
Researchers and public representatives met to address challenges that persist throughout our crisis system. They developed a set of 16 recommendations.
A Bumpy but Worthwhile Ride: data-driven efforts to improve housing coordination for people experiencing homelessness
Allegheny County established a coordinated entry system to prioritize the most vulnerable homeless clients to get them into housing as quickly as possible.
Allegheny County Department of Human Services’ Strategic Initiatives
DHS developed a set of “strategic initiatives” to focus on in 2019 and 2020. A report presents these initiatives and examples of how DHS has worked with our community partners to continually improve.