June 2021
In this edition:

  • Notes from the director
  • DHS, partner agencies work to increase safety for older adults
  • Photo: Public-private coalition breaks ground on innovative homeless shelter
  • Cherna Fellowship established at Pitt
  • Five questions with Carolyne Burton

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. 
This month I want to share a bit about DHS’s goals – and the strategies we will use to reach those goals – in this unique moment. We know this is a time of very high need for our community, but it’s also a time of opportunity and hope that we can make a difference, with significant federal investment in pandemic recovery and human services. Our team has prepared an infographic that helps present the needs and our plans in an easy-to-understand way. I’m pleased to share that with you now and look forward to talking more about these topics in the coming weeks and months. 
DHS, partner agencies work to increase safety for older adults
The Area Agency on Aging (AAA) has been hard at work on a three-year federal grant from the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) designed to offer enhanced training and services to end abuse in later life.
Photo: Public-private coalition breaks ground on innovative homeless shelter
On June 10, representatives from Action Housing, Allegheny Conference, Allegheny County (DHS Director Erin Dalton is pictured fifth from the left), Bethlehem Haven, City of Pittsburgh Office of Mayor William Peduto, DLA+ Architects, Highmark and Allegheny Health Network, Hillman Family Foundation, Pittsburgh Mercy and Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net, PJ Dick, PNC Financial Services Group, UPMC and Urban Redevelopment Authority gathered to mark the groundbreaking of Second Avenue Commons, a 42,000-square foot facility that will provide shelter and comprehensive wrap-around services for individuals experiencing homelessness. Located adjacent to the Liberty Bridge, this facility will operate as a year-round, low-barrier shelter for adults, their pets and possessions, and is a first-of-its-kind for Allegheny County.
Cherna Fellowship established at Pitt
The University of Pittsburgh’s Institute of Politics, in partnership with the University’s Graduate School of Social Work, recently announced the creation of the Cherna Fellowship which will honor Marc Cherna’s legacy. 
Five questions with Carolyne Burton
Carolyne is protective service investigator, aging care manager 3 in the Area Agency on Aging.
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.