Children, Youth and Families
An Evaluation of the Family Support Center Network
An evaluation of 25 Allegheny County Family Support Centers looked at the operation and impact of individual Centers as well as the network as a whole, in five specific areas: […]
Conferencing and Teaming – Participants’ Perspectives and Satisfaction
More than 200 families were interviewed about their experience with Conferencing and Teaming meetings. Although most responded positively to the meeting process, only about two-thirds reported that the meeting resulted […]
Child Welfare Leadership Fellows: Using Data to Improve the Lives of Children and Families
Twenty-seven child welfare professionals participated in the first year of the Leadership Fellows program, learning how to use data to 1) identify issues that negatively impact children and families in […]
Families For Teens: Foster Care Recruitment and Support in Allegheny County
When removing a child from home is necessary, a stable foster home is the preferred placement option; unfortunately, adolescents and teenagers are much less likely to find such a home […]
The Impact of Child Welfare System Involvement on School Stability – An Evaluation of Pittsburgh Public School Students
Child welfare out-of-home placements are stressful events, compounded by the fact they may result in a youth changing schools. Research shows mid-year school changes to be disruptive both academically and […]
Improving Education and Well Being Outcomes: August 2015 Update
By the spring of 2015, 16 school districts, Propel Schools and the Allegheny Intermediate Unit had signed legal agreements with the Department of Human Services (DHS), allowing data to be […]
Allegheny County Child Welfare Home Removal Costs, 2012 Cohort
The cost of out-of-home placements vary greatly, depending upon length, type of placement and level of care required. Type of placement was a significant factor in cost variation; group home […]
Parents Raising Safe Kids: An Assessment of the Impact of the ACT Against Violence Program Curriculum
The Parents Raising Safe Kids curriculum was developed by the American Psychological Association and implemented nationally in an effort to teach positive parenting skills to parents and caregivers. Offered locally […]
Introducing Performance-Based Contracting: A Comparison of Implementation Models
Linking provider payments to performance measures is gaining popularity as a way to improve outcomes, efficiency and innovations. Three performance-based contracting models have been implemented in Allegheny County, targeting: 1) […]
Permanency Roundtables: Challenging Barriers to Permanency for Children in Out-of-Home Care
Permanency Roundtables are an important component of Allegheny County’s strategy to improve permanency outcomes for children in child welfare out-of-home placements. Roundtables engage practitioners, caseworkers, providers and permanency experts in […]
Inua Ubuntu: An Assessment of Implementation, Program Process and Child Welfare Involvement
Inua Ubuntu, designed to provide culturally-based intervention with a goal of reducing the rate of out-of-home placement for African American males, was implemented by the Allegheny County Department of Human […]
Common Assessment Tools: Implementation and Implications for Service Integration
An initial assessment is often a client’s first service experience, and, as such, it plays a major role in the perception, comfort and outcomes of the service. Simultaneously, the assessment […]
I’ll Never Get Used to It: Young People Living on the Street
Designed to inform local leaders, this report places the issue of homeless youth within a national context and provides information about local need, services and strategies to prevent and address […]
Drug-Exposed Newborns
Although prenatal drug/alcohol exposure cases accounted for less than two percent of child welfare referrals in Allegheny County, this exposure can have significant health and developmental consequences. More than one […]
Data Brief: Fathers in Child Welfare Cases
An analysis was conducted on fathers’ involvement in child welfare cases from 2010 through 2012. Biological fathers were identified in 81 percent of cases (as compared to 94 percent of […]