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 the child welfare system and 2) make recommendations to address those issues. The fellows focused on teenage girls in out-of-home placement and recommended strategies to reduce home removal and – in situations where placement was necessary – to improve the placement experience.  In addition to addressing system issues, the program served as a professional development experience for the fellows and resulted in improved career opportunities for many.

Click here to view the full report. 

Content and analysis: Brian Bell and the 2014 Child Welfare Leadership Fellows
Writer: Susan Gove

 

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 and often end up in group homes or other congregate settings.  The Families for Teens initiative, funded by the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is designed to increase the number and quality of foster homes for these older youth through a variety of collaborative, training, support and marketing strategies.

Click here to view the full report. 

Content and analysis: Sanjeev Baidyaroy, Emily Kulick and Katherine Stoehr

An involuntary commitment is an application for emergency evaluation and treatment for a person who is considered to be a danger to self or others due to symptoms of a mental illness. In Allegheny County, petitions for involuntary commitment are managed and authorized by the Department of Human Services (DHS), through its Mental Health Information, Referral and Emergency Services (IRES) 24-hour phone line.

This report presents an analysis of all involuntary commitment petitions received by DHS from 2002 through 2013, during which time petitions were filed on 37,750 individuals, most commonly involving teens and young adults. African Americans experienced higher rates at almost every age and men experienced higher rates than women of the same race.

Click here to read the full report.

Click here to view a related data visualization.

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 socially. This report examines child welfare imposed mobility, identifying system challenges as well as the positive factors that have led to an overall decrease in these system-imposed school moves.

Click to read the full data brief. 

Content and analysis: Emily Kulick and Samantha Murphy
Writer: Jeffery Fraser

From January 2005 through July 2015:

1. Aggravated assault rates generally declined in the City of Pittsburgh, but at a slower pace than in comparable cities.
2. Aggravated assault was most prevalent in areas historically beset by violent crime, including the East End, the North Side and the South Side Hilltop neighborhoods.
3. Victims of aggravated assault were disproportionately young, African American and male.
4. Aggravated assault clearance rates were higher than those of comparable cities, but varied depending on the method of assault, location and victim demographics.

Click here to view the full report.

Click here to view an interactive visualization of crime in the city of Pittsburgh.

 

From January 2005 through July 2015:

1. Pittsburgh’s theft rate declined and remained among the lowest in the Pittsburgh Today comparison group.
2. Theft was most prevalent in Pittsburgh’s East End and South Side Hilltop neighborhoods.
3. The clearance rate of theft varied depending on the category of theft or item taken.

Click here to view the full report.

Click here to view an interactive visualization of crime in the city of Pittsburgh.

From January 2005 through July 2015:

1. Robbery rates declined, remaining among the lowest in the Pittsburgh Today comparison group.
2. Robbery was most prevalent in neighborhoods historically beset by violent crime, including Homewood, Garfield and the North Side.
3. Victims of robbery were disproportionately young and male, with high rates of victimization among African Americans.
4. Robbery clearance rates were higher than those of comparable cities, but varied depending on the location of the crime and the demographics of the victim.

Click here to view the full report. 

Click here to view an interactive visualization of crime in the city of Pittsburgh.

From January 2005 through 2015:

1. Rape rates fluctuated, but were generally lower by 2015 than they were in 2005.
2. Rape was most prevalent in neighborhoods historically beset by violent crime, including the North Side, Homewood and the Hill District.
3. Victims of rape were disproportionately young, African American and female.
4. Rape clearance rates were higher than those of comparable cities, but varied depending on method of assault, time of year and victim demographics.

Click here to view the full report. 

Click here to view an interactive visualization of crime in the city of Pittsburgh.

From January 2005 through July 2015:

1. Pittsburgh’s motor vehicle theft rate declined sharply and remained the lowest among comparable mid-sized cities.
2. Motor vehicle theft was most prevalent in Pittsburgh’s East End, North Shore and South Side.
3. Victims of motor vehicle theft were older than average crime victims and disproportionately African American and male.
4. Motor vehicle theft clearance rates were higher than those of comparable cities, but varied depending on the location of the theft and whether the theft was completed.

Click here to view the full report. 

Click here to view an interactive visualization of crime in the city of Pittsburgh.

From January 2005 through July 2015:

1. Drug violation rates decreased in the City of Pittsburgh, accompanied by reductions in adult and juvenile arrests.
2. As drug violations declined, marijuana made up a larger share of all drug offenses as compared to drugs in the opioid/cocaine category.
3. The highest drug violation rates were reported near Downtown Pittsburgh, the South Side Hilltop neighborhoods, the Southside Flats and the North Side.
4. Nearly all reported drug violations culminated in an arrest, with nearly 20 times as many adults arrested as juveniles.

Click here to view the full report. 

Click here to view an interactive visualization of crime in the city of Pittsburgh.

From January 2005 through July 2015:

1. Burglary rates in Pittsburgh were lower than in most comparable cities.
2. Burglary was most prevalent in Pittsburgh’s East End, North Side and South Side Hilltop neighborhoods.
3. Victims of burglary were disproportionately African American and tended to be older than victims of other Part 1 crimes.
4. Burglary clearance rates were higher than those of comparable cities, but varied depending on the method of entry, location and time of year.

Click here to view the full report.

Click here to view an interactive visualization of crime in the city of Pittsburgh.

From January 2005 through July 2015:

1. Arson rates increased in the City of Pittsburgh, contrary to trends observed in comparable cities.
2. Arson was most prevalent in the Homewood, North Side and South Side Hilltop neighborhoods of Pittsburgh.
3. Arson clearance rates were highest during the first months of the year and for arsons involving an occupied structure.

Click here to view the full report.

Click here to view an interactive visualization of crime in the city of Pittsburgh.

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 shared on a level never before possible.

This publication describes the way in which DHS’s partnerships with local school districts continued to expand and enabled us to focus on specific issues, such as homelessness, greater collaboration between human services and school social workers, and faster and more through identification of students in need.

Click here to read the report.

Click here to read Improving Outcomes and Well Being: August 2013 Update.

In 2014, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) conducted a review of its homelessness services system as a first step in planning for and promoting effective strategies for reducing homelessness. This report provides information about the population of families experiencing a housing crisis in Allegheny County from 2009 through 2013, with a particular focus on the 2009 entry cohort.

The vast majority of families had a female head of household, and females were over-represented by nearly 30 percent when compared to the general adult population of Allegheny County. African American–headed families accounted for 60 percent of families served over the five-year period, a rate nearly five times greater than that of the African American population in Allegheny County. While the number of family members accessing homelessness services increased by more than 400 adults and more than 500 children over the five-year period, the overall demographic characteristics of this population remained quite constant.

Click here to view the full report. 

Click here to view a related report about individuals involved in Allegheny County’s homelessness system. 

Analysis and content: Ryan Burger, Abigail Horn, Brian Bell and Erin Dalton

This report describes individuals who experienced a housing crisis in Allegheny County from 2009 through 2013, with a particular focus on the 2009 entry cohort.

Click here to read the full report. 

Click here to read a related report about families involved in Allegheny County’s homelessness system. 

Analysis and content: Ryan Burger, Abigail Horn, Brian Bell and Erin Dalton