In the third year of the agreement that allows the Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) and Department of Human Services (DHS) to integrate data, collaboration extended beyond DHS and local school districts, and community stakeholders became engaged in improving educational outcomes for children.

This publication details progress since the original Memorandum of Understanding between DHS and local school districts was signed.

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Click here to read Improving Educational and Well Being Outcomes: July 2012 Update.

The Brief Wraparound Residential model emphasizes working with youth on what they need to be successful following their stay in residential care; that is, at home, in school and in the community. It involves immediate engagement with the youth and family and is designed to support reunification and successful re-entry into the home and community. This report describes the model as well as lessons learned and challenges to full implementation.

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In response to federal, state and local priorities, DHS implemented the Pennsylvania General and Special Education/Disability Accommodation Screen (Education Screen) in partnership with provider agencies and local school districts.  The Education Screen was designed to increase collaborative efforts between DHS and school districts, with a focus on improved educational outcomes for students. Implementation included appointment of an Education Liaison, revisions to the child welfare records management application to allow for electronic completion of the Screen, and training and technical assistance.  This report describes the implementation strategies utilized and lessons learned.

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Allegheny County’s System of Care Initiative consisted of three federal grants designed to improve the functioning of system-involved children and youth with serious emotional disturbances, and their families.  The three initiatives, which also sought to improve system integration and family empowerment, ran from 1998 through 2011.  The evaluation described in this report looked at placement outcomes of children enrolled in one of the three programs as well as general outcomes and observations about the programs.

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In January 2012, DHS and the Clairton City School District signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to share student data. The partnership built on previous work to share data between Pittsburgh Public Schools and DHS.

Using data shared between Clairton and DHS, 63 percent of Clairton students were found to have prior or current involvement with human services programs. The report describes which DHS programs students were involved with and the educational outcomes of students who received DHS services compared to those who did not.

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U.S. Government Accountability Office

The U.S. Government Accountability Office examined four innovative data sharing practices (including DHS’s) to determine (1) how selected states or localities have shared data across programs to improve the administration of human services, (2) challenges state and local human services agencies face in balancing privacy protections with greater data sharing, and (3) actions that the federal government could take to help address these challenges.

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Natural supports are those family members, friends and community members who enhance our lives and support us in achieving our goals.  The use of natural supports is becoming more common in association with human services, and DHS actively promotes the identification of natural supports and their involvement with individuals and families involved in a variety of services. A department-wide survey and individual interviews were conducted to assess staff’s awareness of the importance of natural supports and understand their utilization across DHS.

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Addressing the specific needs of youth across multiple life domains as they transition from the children’s behavioral health treatment system to the adult treatment system is critically important. To help quantify these issues and contribute to discussions related to system interventions locally, Allegheny Health Choices, Inc. (AHCI) identified a cohort of youth who turned 17 between January 2007 and December 2009 and used behavioral health services while 17. This report describes their service use characteristics and involvement with other systems during their 17th year compared to their 18th year.

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In 2007, DHS established an Immigrant and International Advisory Council, seeking to ensure that its services were culturally competent and accessible. Since that time, the Council is credited by many with making the region more immigrant-friendly. Beginning with two specific goals – cultural competence training and improving access to translation and interpretation services – the Council has grown and expanded its reach.  This report traces the history of the Council and its accomplishments.

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This report provides an overview of the Allegheny County Jail’s Discharge Center.

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This report provides a description of the DUI Alternative to Jail Program and its impact on the systems and individuals involved.

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Family Group Decision Making (FGDM), an intervention designed in New Zealand to improve safety and permanency for maltreated children, was implemented in Allegheny County in 1999.  From 2001 through 2010, 2,908 children received FGDM. An evaluation of its effectiveness was conducted by Chapin Hall.  This report describes the evaluation and its findings.

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To commemorate 50 years during which Allegheny County government has been responsible for providing public child welfare services, DHS commissioned this historical overview of child welfare in the county.

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Related:
The Next Page: Bold ideas behind Pittsburgh’s first child-welfare system – Meet the heroines
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 4, 2014

Since 2008, when a report on Quality Improvement activities across DHS was published, an enhanced quality improvement process has been in place for the delivery of direct services at DHS. The primary focus on these efforts have been in child welfare; activities range from a Quality Service Review process to Child Fatality and Near-Fatality reviews. An overview of these activities, and their outcomes, is provided in this report.

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PA Department of Public Welfare

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