November 2018
In this month's edition:

  • Allegheny County receives $2M to reduce the county jail population
  • Students explore emerging technologies at the 2018 DHS Local Government Case Competition
  • Be Strong Parent Cafés encourage discussion, unity
  • Have You Heard?
  • Youth Advocacy Summit allows teens to discuss mental health and present potential solutions
  • DHS update
  • Photo: Genius Bar
  • Photo: Fostering Event
  • This month's Neighborland questions
  • Research and reports

News articles are uploaded to the DHS website as soon as they become available. For the most up-to-date news, visit  DHS News online .  
Allegheny County receives $2M to reduce the county jail population

Recently, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awarded Allegheny County a $2 million grant to continue building on efforts to reform the local criminal justice system and safely reduce the county jail population .
Students explore emerging technologies at the 2018 DHS Local Government Case Competition

From November 7 through 10, more than 60 students from four local universities participated in the 2018 DHS Local Government Case Competition .
Be Strong Parent Cafés encourage discussion, unity

Parents and caregivers in Allegheny County now have a place to share experiences and learn tips to strengthen their families, thanks to Be Strong Parent Cafés, a model created in 2007 by Strengthening Families Illinois . 
Have You Heard?

DHS's Office of Children, Youth and Families (CYF) has been distributing short videos to help staff learn helpful tips and best practices . 

A sample Have You Heard video is available for viewing on Vimeo . 
Youth Advocacy Summit allows teens to discuss mental health and present potential solutions

More than 30 teens gathered on November 6 for a Youth Advocacy Summit designed to encourage discussion around the topic of teen mental health .
Two DHS offices have been restructured to better meet the needs of Allegheny County residents. As a result of these changes, the offices have been renamed to reflect their current responsibilities. The Office of Administrative and Information Management Services (AIMS) will now be known as the Office of Administration. The Office of Data Analysis, Research and Evaluation (DARE) will now be known as the Office of Analytics, Technology and Planning (ATP).
Photo: Genius Bar

Last month, DHS IT began staffing the Genius Bar, a one-stop-shop where staff members can receive immediate face-to-face assistance for a variety of tech needs. Each weekday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (excluding a break from 12-1 p.m.), staff from any DHS office can visit the second floor of the Human Services Building to receive help with accounts, passwords, software, hardware, and mobile phones and hot spots. Genius Bar technicians can also provide updates on incidents submitted through the service desk.
Photo: Fostering Event

On November 17, the Office of Children, Youth and Families (CYF) permanency department hosted an informational event for potential foster parents. Hosted at 10 Duff Road in Penn Hills, the event featured representatives from a number of foster care agencies, information about children currently waiting for a safe and caring home, family-friendly activities and light refreshments.
This month's Neighborland questions

DHS has recently launched a website, built on a software platform called Neighborland, to gather community input in order to improve programs and services. This month we would like to know:

  • As a landlord, what would it take for you to rent your property to a person or family in an Allegheny County housing program?

  • What could we do to make it easier for you to become a foster parent to a child who needs you?

We welcome your story ideas, employee news and comments. If you’ve got news you’d like to see in DHS News, please contact Mark Bertolet at mark.bertolet@alleghenycounty.us or 412-350-3439.