The Highlights Report identifies the major accomplishments that were completed over the past year. We strive to continuously assess and develop strategies that are data-driven and customer focused and we will work toward improving our services each and every year.
‘22 HIGHLIGHTS REPORT
ALLEGHENY COUNTY
COUNTYOF
ALLEGHENY
Rich Fitzgerald County Executive
To:
To: Rich Fitzgerald, County Executive From: William D. McKain CPA, County Manager Date: March 8, 2022 Re: 2021 Allegheny County Highlights Report Cc: Jennifer Liptak, Chief of Staff Rich Fitzgerald, County Executive Jennifer Liptak, County Manager March 21, 2023 2022 Allegheny County Highlights Report
From:
Date:
Re:
Cc:
Stephen Pilarski, Senior Deputy County Manager Stephen Pilarski, Senior Deputy County Manager
Office of the County Manager 119 Courthouse • 436 Grant Street • Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone (412) 350-5300 • Fax (412) 350-3581 www.alleghenycounty.us • The Allegheny County Jail (ACJ) piloted and then expanded an Interdisciplinary Patient Care model to optimize healthcare services for incarcerated individuals. Each level of the ACJ facility now has a dedicated healthcare team to help ensure continuity of care, reduce wait times, and coordinate clinical needs. Department (ACHD), with assistance from Allegheny County Emergency Services, set up COVID vaccine clinics across the county, delivering 137,000 shots in arms. This supplemented the work being done by our local healthcare partners, achieving one of the highest vaccination rates in the state. With the assistance from our Department of Human Services (DHS), ACHD also ensured that residents of low-income senior buildings and the homebound also had access to COVID vaccines. • DHS was able to quickly stand-up the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, using a robotic system to process applications, enabling them to providerent and/or utility assistance to 12,486 households in a ten-month period. At the same time, DHS qualified and assisted nearly 2,000 older youths in the child welfare system, who were eligible for pandemic relief cash subsidies. • Remote assistance was provided in nursing homes throughout the county, thanks to DHS’ innovative use of a robot-like “Padbot” to serve as ombudsman to hear complaints, and in the Kane Community Living Centers through their use of “Curavicart” to enable residents to meet with their physicians. I am pleased to present the 2021 Highlights Report for Allegheny County, summarizing key accomplishments during the year for each of our executive departments. This year’s highlights reflect the hard work and dedication of county employees, who aim to enhance the quality of services for constituents, reduce costs, and operate more efficiently by focusing on technology, customer service, and sustainability. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continued to present many challenges to the residents of Allegheny County and to county government in 2021. Once again, our employees rose to the challenge to deliver new services, and to deliver existing services in previously unexpected ways. Some of those highlights include: • In addition to leading the overall public health response to the pandemic, our Health I am pleased to present the 2022 Highlights Report for Allegheny County, featuring key accomplishments during the past year for each of our executive departments. Once again, this year’s highlights re ect the hard work and dedication of county employees, who aim to enhance the quality of services for constituents, reduce costs, and operate more e ciently by turning great ideas into action. Just a few of the key highlights include: • As a result of successful e orts to improve air quality, the Health Department was able to submit evidence to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) demonstrating compliance with national air quality standards for particulate matter pollution. O cial redesignation of attainment from the EPA is expected by mid-2023. • The Health Department was also successful in combating the new threat of Mpox during the past summer. Using its successful strategies honed during the COVID pandemic to test, isolate, contact trace and vaccinate, the department ultimately administered 990 vaccine doses and contributed to limiting this outbreak to 71 cases. • Our Department of Human Services (DHS), in partnership with PNC Bank, Highmark, UPMC, Action Housing and the City of Pittsburgh, developed, constructed, and opened Second Avenue Commons in downtown Pittsburgh. This low barrier shelter for persons experiencing homelessness can house up to 168 persons, and provides an array of services to meet the needs of clients. Since its opening in November, the facility has been lled at or near capacity. • At your direction, DHS also launched a new pilot program to help low-income residents with the cost of public transportation. More than 11,000 enrollees are receiving discounted fares, to test the impact of lower costs at varying levels of discounts. Feedback from the pilot will help to determine what a permanent version of the program might look like. • Three of the Kane Community Living Centers were newly recognized by Newsweek Magazine as among the highest ranked nursing homes in the country; and all four centers continue to boast four-star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
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• Among numerous new programs and events, the Parks Department constructed a Bankshots™ course in South Park. Players of all ages and abilities, including di erently-abled participants, proceed through a course of angled, curved, and non-conventionally con gured brightly colored backboards, banking shots o the Bankboards™ and through the rims. The court opened in the fall, and the department will be scheduling programs and events at the course during 2023. • The Department of Public Works (DPW) continued to design, schedule and complete bridge projects to further reduce the number of poorly rated county-owned bridges. Completing seven of these projects in 2022, there remain 20 such bridges, each of which is scheduled for construction or is in the design process. DPW also began major rehabilitation work on the third “Sister Bridge” - the Roberto Clemente Bridge – in 2022. By the end of 2023, all three Sister Bridges will have undergone major rehabilitation to add decades of life to these iconic structures. • The Department of Budget and Finance successfully developed a $3.015 billion total spending plan for 2023, including budgeting for the county’s share of American Rescue Plan funding and the statewide opioid settlement. This is the 21st time in 22 years there has been no property tax millage increase for our county taxpayers. • The Department of Children Initiatives (DCI) leveraged the foundation that it laid in its inaugural year, 2021, by launching the Allegheny Child Care Matters pilot program, already providing subsidized child care for 184 children in 122 working families across the county. DCI also awarded funding to providers that will add nearly 500 high-quality infant and toddler child care slots and over 600 new out-of-school-time slots, and funding to grantees that are serving over 400 children with early literacy programming. COUNTYOF Rich Fitzgerald County Executive ALLEGHENY To: Rich Fitzgerald, County Executive From: William D. McKain CPA, County Manager Date: March 8, 2022 Re: 2021 Allegheny County Highlights Report Cc: Jennifer Liptak, Chief of Staff • Allegheny County Economic Development (ACED) created the Trail Development Fund in 2022, which awarded nearly $25 million to 17 trail and active transportation projects. Included are connections to the GAP trail, the Turtle Creek Connector to the Westmoreland Heritage Trail, the Brilliant Line in Aspinwall, and others, each of which will contribute to the region’s livability, economic development potential and healthy recreation opportunities for our residents. I am pleased to present the 2021 Highlights Report for Allegheny County, summarizing key accomplishments during the year for each of our executive departments. This year’s highlights reflect the hard work and dedication of county employees, who aim to enhance the quality of services for constituents, reduce costs, and operate more efficiently by focusing on technology, customer service, and sustainability. You will nd many more highlights in the attached report, showing that each of our departments turned great ideas into action while also providing our usual excellent quality of service to our residents. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continued to present many challenges to the residents of Allegheny County and to county government in 2021. Once again, our employees rose to the challenge to deliver new services, and to deliver existing services in previously unexpected ways. Some of those highlights include: • In addition to leading the overall public health response to the pandemic, our Health Department (ACHD), with assistance from Allegheny County Emergency Services, set up COVID vaccine clinics across the county, delivering 137,000 shots in arms. This supplemented the work being done by our local healthcare partners, achieving one of the highest vaccination rates in the state. With the assistance from our Department of Human Services (DHS), ACHD also ensured that residents of low-income senior buildings and the homebound also had access to COVID vaccines. • DHS was able to quickly stand-up the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, using a robotic system to process applications, enabling them to providerent and/or utility assistance to 12,486 households in a ten-month period. At the same time, DHS qualified and assisted nearly 2,000 older youths in the child welfare system, who were eligible for pandemic relief cash subsidies. • Remote assistance was provided in nursing homes throughout the county, thanks to DHS’ innovative use of a robot-like “Padbot” to serve as ombudsman to hear complaints, and in the Kane Community Living Centers through their use of “Curavicart” to enable residents to meet with their physicians. Stephen Pilarski, Senior Deputy County Manager
Office of the County Manager 119 Courthouse • 436 Grant Street • Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone (412) 350-5300 • Fax (412) 350-3581 www.alleghenycounty.us
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Contents
07 14 19 06
HEALTH AND WELFARE Health Human Services Kane Community Living Centers
23 27 31 36 41 22
Emergency Services Jail Medical Examiner Police Public Defender PUBLIC SAFETY
GENERAL GOVERNMENT & ADMINISTRATION
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
47 52 57 46
65 69 72 75 79 82 90 93 97 64
Parks Facilities Management Public Works
Administrative Services Budget & Finance Children Initiatives CountyStat Court Records Economic Development Equity & Inclusion Human Resources Information Technology
5
Health & Welfare
6
Health Department
The Health Department’s operations include providing public health education, compiling vital health statistics, surveilling and controlling communicable diseases, enforcing environmental regulations, and the administration of many other programs that protect and improve the health of the county’s residents. Since the Health Department was created over 60 years ago, significant progress has been made in preventing infectious diseases, addressing infant mortality, safeguarding the environment, and in dealing with new and emerging threats from opioid misuse, obesity, environmental lead, HIV, and pandemic influenza. There are 324 employees who work in the Allegheny County Health Department. These individuals fulfill many roles: administrators, administrative and logistical support, environmental engineers and technicians, inspectors (food safety, housing, water, plumbing), environmental and policy attorneys, microbiologists, disease investigators, epidemiologists and statisticians, lab technicians, public health nurses, dental healthcare workers, nutritionists, public health educators, community resource and outreach coordinator. ABOUT To protect, promote, and preserve the health and well-being of all Allegheny County residents, particularly the most vulnerable. MISSION
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AIR QUALITY 2022 Health Department Highlights
Allegheny County Industries are putting out 1/8 sulfur dioxide, 1/2 the fine particulates, and 1/5 the hazardous air pollutants as compared to 12 years ago. This equates to an 80% reduction in hazardous air pollutants. Fine particulates pollution decreased in the past 10 years: Pittsburgh Metro area: 26.7% (3ug/m3)* reduction in PM2.5** Mon Valley: 26.0% (4ug/m3) reduction in PM2.5; reduction at the Liberty monitor is among the largest PM2.5 reductions anywhere in the country.
The division employs 60 professionals and operates one of the densest air monitoring networks in the nation , with nine permanent and 12 temporary sites spaced throughout the county, including eight permanent fine particulate sites. There are a total of 46 permanent air monitors at these sites, plus, several special study monitors.
*ug/m3 – micrograms per cubic meter ** PM2.5 – particulate matter 2.5 microns in diameter or smaller
FOOD SAFETY 83.35 % food safety inspection reports completed electronically 3,071 new restaurants opened and inspected over the past 5 years
Paper 16% Food Inspections Completed Electronically
Electronic 84%
OPIOID RESPONSE 3,201 rescue training participants 19,675 kits of naloxone distributed
Naloxone Distribution
19,675
10,231
8,894
6,774
6,334
3,004
1,161
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2022 Health Department Program Spotlights
AIR QUALITY Monitoring Network Improvement
The ACHD updated and installed nine new devices and systems to increase monitoring, identification, and tracking of overall air quality. These devices and systems include a passive volatile organic compound (VOCs) monitor and lab analysis, portable hydrogen sulfide (H2S) analyzers, portable mass flow meters, nasal rangers, CAS automated-gas chromatograph, true nitrogen dioxide (NO2) analyzer, ATEC 8000 air toxics sampler, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) analyzer and PANDORA spectrometer. The Air Quality Program was selected by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to install a new spectrometer as part of the Pandora Global Network. This monitor is one of just over 100 fixed locations globally observing concentrations of trace gases, such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O2), and VOCs. The monitor collects daily data about the behavior of these gases in the atmosphere. The selection of the ACHD’s Air Quality Program demonstrates both the program’s commitment to excellence and its leadership in the environmental health community. Progress made on Particulate Matter Pollution In the fall of 2022, the ACHD submitted redesignation materials to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for PM2.5. Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) is a criteria pollutant listed in the Clean Air Act. It is made of a mixture of solids and liquid droplets suspended in air that are 2.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller, about 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair. Health studies have shown an association between exposure to PM2.5 and premature death from heart or lung disease. Individuals that may be particularly sensitive to PM2.5 exposure include people with existing heart or lung disease, older adults and children. The submitted redesignation documentation demonstrates that for the past three years, Allegheny County met the national air quality standard for PM2.5. If approved, the EPA will change Allegheny County’s status from a nonattainment area to an attainment area. Based on previous attainment redesignation requests, the ACHD anticipates an approval from the EPA in the first half of 2023.
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
COVID For the third calendar year, the Health Department continued to respond to COVID, including: providing testing, vaccination, data analysis, and data sharing; supporting community health workers in federally qualified health centers, other healthcare facilities, and community-based organizations; and providing community education and outreach. From the start of the pandemic through December 31, 2022, in Allegheny County there were: • 4,115,901 tests (3,197,495 PCR, 918,406 antigen) administered by laboratories or clinical facilities • 332,150 infections identified • 16,672 hospitalizations for COVID infection • 3,605 COVID related deaths • 4,597 COVID shots (primary series and boosters) administered by ACHD Most county residents have been vaccinated; by November 2022, 83.1 percent of the population five years
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Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) During the summer of 2022, still working to combat the COVID pandemic, the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) was faced with another global health crisis: Mpox. On June 30, the ACHD confirmed the first three cases in the county. To respond, the ACHD relied on “bread and butter” public health strategies: In 2022, additional COVID vaccines were approved and distributed nationally. The Novavax vaccine for the primary series and the bivalent booster doses by Pfizer and Moderna. The Novavax vaccine uses 30-year- old technology that is used for vaccines such as hepatitis B and influenza. The ACHD Immunization Clinic and other county vaccine providers offered this vaccine since July. Dozens of patients who were previously skeptical of the mRNA vaccines sought out this new option. old and older had received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, and 75.5 percent have received two doses.
TEST
ISOLATE Keep people with an infection away from others to reduce further spread
CONTACT TRACE Identify, educate, and monitor people with close contact to a person with the infection
VACCINATE Vaccinate people at risk of infection
Identify those with an infection
From the start of the outbreak, the ACHD worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH), local health care providers, and laboratories to ensure that education, testing, vaccination, and treatment were available. Starting July 6, the ACHD’s Immunization Clinic was the first location in the county to vaccinate people for Mpox. Recognizing the importance of access and equity, ACHD worked with other health care providers to offer the vaccine, including AHN Positive Health Clinic, Allies for Health + Wellbeing, Central Outreach Wellness Center, Metro Community Health Center and UPMC Center of Care for Infectious Diseases. After assessing the needs of residents and vaccine supply, the ACHD worked with the PA DOH and was the first public health jurisdiction in the commonwealth to move to an expanded Mpox vaccine eligibility. At the start of September, ACHD implemented initial Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) eligibility for those interested in getting the Mpox vaccine, meaning high-risk individuals who had not experienced a possible exposure became eligible to get vaccinated. In 2022, 71 Allegheny County residents were diagnosed with a Mpox infection and the ACHD Immunization Clinic had administered 990 doses of the Mpox vaccine. In all, more than 6,168 doses of the vaccine were administered by collaborating health care providers countywide. The Health Department also created an Allegheny County Mpox webpage to keep residents up to date on case counts, as well as information on testing, vaccinations, and resources. Residents can visit the webpage at:
alleghenycounty.us/monkeypox
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INSPECTIONS Inspections are a vital tool employed by the ACHD to ensure that food is safe to eat, plumbing in buildings meets code, home conditions are livable and much more. Inspections conducted by the ACHD include safety assessments of solid waste, water, plumbing, sprinkler, air quality, asbestos, housing, lead, mosquito-borne disease, and food safety. In 2022, the ACHD performed 37,035 inspections. The two most regularly performed inspections were plumbing/sprinkler and food facilities.
Food 18% 2022 ACHD Inspections
Mosquito-borne disease 1%
Solid Waste and Water 2%
Lead <1%
Housing 11%
Plumbing and Sprinkler 60%
Air Quality and Asbestos 8%
Plumbing and Sprinkler Inspections The ACHD’s Plumbing Program inspects and permits new or modified residential and commercial plumbing installations to assure compliance with the Health Department’s Article XV. Inspections are conducted in phases, beginning with the roughed-in plumbing and ending with the final inspection when a certificate of final inspection is issued. In 2022, the Plumbing Program performed 21,566 plumbing inspections and 743 sprinkler inspections. To reduce the time between when a plumbing inspection is requested and when an inspector can visit the site, the ACHD piloted a limited virtual inspection program. The pilot program began in July of 2022 and continued through the fall. After the pilot period ended at the end of 2022, staff from the Plumbing Program began reviewing the pilot data and talked with plumbers and residents who participated in the program to determine how best to make this a part of the regular inspection process.
Plumbing and Sprinkler Inspections
989
1010
743
662
22,486
22,399
21,566
20,696
2019
2020
2021
2022
Plumbing inspections Sprinkler Inspections
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Food Inspections The Food Safety Program monitors and regulates approximately 8,200 permanent food businesses across Allegheny County. Establishments covered by the program include restaurants, retail markets, food processing facilities, caterers, warehouses, mobile vendors, festivals, farmers markets, school cafeterias, and nursing homes. The ACHD’s food safety efforts include both conducting comprehensive inspections and investigating consumer complaints. In 2022, the Food Safety Program performed 6,569 inspections of food facilities and operations. The food industry, primarily restaurants, was hit hard by the pandemic. But, even before the pandemic, the number of new food facility openings plateaued at approximately 475 a year. However, in 2021 and 2022, the Food Safety Program saw a resurgence in the number of new food facilities requesting a permit. In 2022, 595 new food facilities were inspected and permitted.
New Food Facilities Opened and Inspected
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
683
678
662
609
596
595
519
Additionally, in 2022, the ACHD worked with the Board of Health to repeal and replace Article III, which regulates food handling and safety in the county. The new regulations, which took effect on January 1, 2023, make it easier for food facilities and operations to understand and apply the rules governing food safety. Since the approval of the new regulation in May 2022 by the County Executive and County Council, the Food Safety Program has conducted extensive educational outreach to permitted facilities.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT After having to limit community engagement efforts in 2020 and 2021 due to public health guidance discouraging in-person events, the ACHD returned with a full slate of engagement activities for 2022. Many of these activities came in the form of community presentations and tabling at events. In total, ACHD staff participated in more than 400 community events in 2022. Overdose Prevention Overdose Prevention staff conducted 116 trainings attended by 3,201 Overdose Prevention Training Events and People Trained
individuals on how to respond to an overdose, including how to administer naloxone (Narcan). Staff also participated in 134 events where naloxone was distributed. A total of 19,675 kits were distributed at venues ranging from Millvale Pride to foot outreach in downtown Pittsburgh to the Pitt Healthy U Fair.
100 120 140
1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500
3,991
3,470
3,201
2,965
2,203
0 20 40 60 80
1,001
120
116
96
75
290
38
0 500
30
10
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Overdose Prevention/Naloxone Administration TrainingsorEvents
People Trained Through Outreach
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Sexual Health Education In 2022, the ACHD’s STD/HIV program participated in 78 community events. One event took place in May when the program partnered with the ACHD’s Overdose Prevention program and Pathways to Care and Recovery to reach individuals who usually do not seek health services. Participants walked throughout Downtown Pittsburgh and Market Square with a handcart full of harm reduction kits that included safe sex materials, Narcan, and resource information. More than 50 individuals were reached and provided with kits and health education. In all, the STD/HIV Program distributed 258,250 condoms at its clinic and community events during the year. Community and Family Health Outreach The Bureau of Community and Family Health is comprised of the Office of Violence Prevention, the Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Program, the Office of Family and Child Health, as well as the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program. In 2022, the bureau participated in more than 200 community events and presentations. While all the bureau’s programs made an impact in the communities they serve, the Allegheny County’s WIC program was especially effective in helping families deal with the baby formula shortage that took place primarily in May and June of 2022. The WIC program worked with several partners to create and distribute a helpful baby formula “dos” and “don’t” flyer in a variety of languages.
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Human Services
To create an accessible, culturally competent, integrated and comprehensive human services system that ensures individually tailored, seamless and holistic services to Allegheny County residents, in particular, the county’s vulnerable populations. MISSION
ABOUT
The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) is responsible for providing and administering publicly-funded human services to county residents. DHS provides a wide range of services, including those for the older adults; mental health services (includes 24-hour crisis counseling); drug and alcohol services; child protective services; at-risk child development and education; emergency shelters and housing for the homeless; non-emergency medical transportation; and referrals for supports coordination for individuals with a diagnosis of intellectual disability. There are 1,472 people who work in the Allegheny Department of Human Services. These individuals fulfill many roles: administrative staff, HR staff, facilities staff, contracting & compliance staff, program specialists, program monitors, project managers & coordinators, direct service workers, caseworkers, case aids, data analysts, fiscal analysts, IT management & support, communications specialists, director’s action line staff, information & referral representatives, call center representatives.
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POPULATIONS SERVED 2022 Human Services Highlights 51,947 mental health services 18,247 aging services 23,214 participated in Family Strengthening Programs 20,139 homeless & housing supports 13,468 active child welfare cases 12,152 substance use disorder services 6,440 intellectual disability and autism services CHILD PROTECTION 2,259 youth in placement 150 youth in congregate care 1,510 youth in kinship 47% 50%
% of Children Placed with Family the First Time They Enter Placement
66%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
63% 60% 60% 63% 61%
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE 15,658 households received funding for rent and/or utilities $4,263 average amount of assistance per household served PHONE RESOURCES Children, Youth, & Families Line – 14,702 calls Information, Referral, Emergency Services – 10,768 calls Adult Protective Services – 14,385 calls Senior Line – 34,190 calls, emails & visits Allegheny Link – 50,669 calls, emails & visits Director’s Action Line – 3,544 calls, emails, & visits
HOUSEHOLDS IN PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAMS Permanent housing programs include programs for individuals with a disability and programs for people who would otherwise be on the street.
Householdsin Permanent Housing Programs
1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500
1,972 1,947
1,898 1,872 1,819
1,779
1,531
0 500
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2022 Human Services Program Spotlights RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO PREVENT EVICTIONS DHS distributed the federal emergency relief funding for
temporary rental assistance to people economically affected by the COVID pandemic. Since its start in March 2021, the program provided more than $129 million to more than 20,000 households, including 15,658 in 2022, preventing evictions in communities across the county.
HOUSING MOBILITY FOR FAMILIES Allegheny County received $4.09 million from HUD as one of nine sites nationally to participate in the Community Choice Demonstration (CCD). The CCD will provide families with children in the Housing Choice Voucher program better access to low-poverty neighborhoods with high-performing schools and other strong community resources (“opportunity areas”). The CCD addresses barriers to housing choice by offering families mobility-related services, such as housing navigation and security deposit assistance. Additionally, the Allegheny County Housing Authority and the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh adopted administrative policies that further enable housing mobility and increase landlord participation, including an updated approach to voucher payment standards. DHS is coordinating the five-year effort in partnership with the county and city housing authorities; the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh is providing mobility-related services. The CCD includes a rigorous, independent evaluation to determine what services are most effective at helping families move to opportunity areas. Pittsburgh-Allegheny County was the first of the nine sites to launch its local program in August 2022. LOW BARRIER SHELTER AND SERVICES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS In November, the Second Avenue Commons opened its doors to the community. The Commons opening represents the culmination of a multiyear community planning process that included a partnership of Allegheny County DHS, PNC Bank, Highmark, UPMC and Action Housing as well as the City of Pittsburgh, local foundations, and other community-based organizations. The 43,000 square foot Commons facility is located on Second Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh on land that was donated by the City of Pittsburgh. The $22 million project was made possible by contributions from the PNC Foundation, Highmark Health and Allegheny Health Network, and UPMC, as well as grants from Henry L. Hillman Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Pittsburgh Foundation, the Keystone Communities program of the PA Department of Community and Economic Development and various other personal donations and countless hours of consultation and expertise from the broad stakeholder group. Allegheny County DHS will contribute approximately $2 million annually for ongoing operating support.
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The site offers a shelter for adults that will operate year-round and is designed to be low barrier— a welcoming place where all people, particularly those who are most marginalized, can be comfortable, feel valued and easily access supports on their own terms. In alignment with this philosophy, the Commons allows for pets to stay with their owners and couples to stay together; clients and visitors will never be asked to leave unless they pose a safety threat to themselves or others; and all staff are trained in de- escalation, trauma-informed care, and harm reduction principles. In addition to shelter, the site also offers wrap-around services to address the complex issues confronting people experiencing homelessness, including physical and behavioral health and unemployment. Services and functions of the facility include the following key components: • Client services, including care for shelter, drop-in and single-room occupancy populations. • The case management team will assess the needs and navigate to appropriate resources and supportive services, including a small clinic for physical and behavioral health services as well as alcohol and other drug treatment programs. • Engagement Center with personal hygiene facilities, laundry, and support services including housing navigation for individuals experiencing homelessness, but who are not necessarily staying at the facility. • 95 beds in group sleeping rooms with dedicated personal hygiene facilities, living room and locker storage. • 30 overflow beds for the cold weather shelter. • 43 single-room occupancy units to facilitate transition to independent housing. • Mail services, important to those without a permanent address and adequate quiet room and support space, workstations and kitchenette for the staff serving this facility.
INNOVATIVE PREVENTION AND CRISIS RESPONSE PROGRAMS Allegheny County DHS advanced several new initiatives aimed at preventing crises and the overuse of coercive services. For example, DHS undertook competitive selection processes for providers of: 1) Juvenile justice diversion program: To reduce the number of citations, arrests and referrals to the juvenile justice system and instead link youth with needed services and supports, DHS awarded a contract to Gwen’s Girls for launching a new, countywide pre-citation and pre-arrest diversion initiative. This work is expected to reduce the rate of racial disparity seen in juvenile justice referrals and advance a culture of restorative justice within schools and community law enforcement by offering an alternative to citation and arrest.
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2) Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program: DHS awarded a contract to Passages in Recovery for piloting LEAD in three municipalities within the county and to provide in-the-field, non- coercive, harm-reduction based case management services to participants who are caught in the revolving door of the criminal justice system and have unmet behavioral health and human service needs. In 2023, DHS envisions expanding the LEAD program into additional municipalities. 3) Community-led, community-operated informal mental health supports: Informal Mental Health Supports are non-medical supports for mental health provided by peers, friends and family, religious leaders or other non-health professionals. In 2022, DHS finalized awards for mental health and wellbeing contracts designed to increase the availability of preventative and proactive supports for individuals or families. Additionally, Allegheny County is one of four jurisdictions selected to participate in the Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Alternative 9-1-1 Emergency Response Implementation Cohort. The initiative is designed to support leaders in implementing alternative responses to nonviolent 9-1-1 calls, addressing a recommendation of the county’s Crisis Response Stakeholder Group. Through the Cohort, the county will receive technical assistance to accelerate and enhance the implementation of alternative 9-1-1 responses that may include tracking 9-1-1 call volume, creating training curricula for response teams, designing 9-1- 1 call decision trees, preparing community briefing materials, and assisting with procuring services from local providers.
ALLEGHENY COUNTY FARE DISCOUNT PILOT RESEARCH AND EVALUATION PLAN
In 2022, at the direction of the County Executive, DHS launched the Allegheny County Discounted Fares Pilot to study how reduced costs of public transportation among county residents receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits affect mobility, employment, health, and connections to services. By testing different fare discount amounts over 12 months, the pilot will inform a long-term commitment from DHS to lower the costs of transportation among low-income Pittsburgh Regional Transit riders. Since its launch, the pilot has enrolled over 11,000 individuals, including nearly 4,000 children. ACCREDITATIONS AND REVIEWS The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) accredited DHS as a United Funding Agency (UFA) in 2022. UFA designation allows HUD to award DHS one grant that includes all 37 HUD homeless programs within Allegheny County. This gives DHS the flexibility to move funding between programs to focus funding on those that are higher performing. Currently, only 12 out of 388 continuum of care in the US are designated as UFAs. The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) monitored the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 during program year 2021-2022 to ensure adherence to regulatory and policy guidelines governing Child Care Works and Keystone STARS. OCDEL notified the county of its performance review results in December 2022, validating that ELRC Region 5 has met the requirements for both the compliance elements and the operations elements of the review.
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Kane Community Living Centers
To provide quality nursing and rehabilitation services through shared values to enhance the lives of our residents, families and community. MISSION
ABOUT
There are four Kane Community Living Centers located throughout Allegheny County. Each center provides a close-to-home experience that keeps residents active physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The centers are staffed by professional nurses, therapists and aides, as well as a team of physicians who work to provide residents with a safe, warm, comfortable environment. There are 711 people who work to support the residents in our Kane Community Living Centers. These individuals fulfill many roles: administrative leadership, clerical staff, purchasing staff, payroll staff, business office staff, human resources staff, medical records, nursing leadership, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, licensed social workers, recreational aides, beauticians, drivers, cooks, food service workers, housekeeping, laundry workers, laborers, material handlers, security guards.
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FACILITIES 2022 Kane Community Living Centers Highlights 4 community living centers 1,166 total beds KANE FOUNDATION $149,000 donations
Ross: 240
$192,847
$181,700 $185,985
$149,000
Glen Hazel: 255
$132,302
$96,153 $101,600
$78,103 $86,269
Scott: 311
McKeesport: 360
30-DAY READMISSION
RESIDENTS 574 newly admitted residents 218,097 of resident care days 345 nursing personnel
30-day Readmissions Comparison
10 15 20 25 30
0 5
GlenHazel
McKeeport
Ross
Scott
Facility State National
5-STAR QUALITY RATING
The Quality-of-Care Measures issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services evaluate all nursing homes based on a 5-star system with 5 being the best and 1 being the worst.
Glen Hazel
Ross
McKeesport
Scott
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Kane Community Living Centers Program Spotlight CAREER LADDER PROGRAM
In 2022, the Kane Community Living Centers rounded out their Career Ladder program by providing a Licensed Practical Nurse program. The purpose of the program is to train more nurses to work within the centers and to gain a long-term commitment from the nurses by adding LPN training to the mix. Although Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) is the natural and usual partner for Kane on education projects, CCAC does not provide an LPN program. Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center, Monroeville Campus, was selected as the training provider. In order to make the training more affordable, five Kane nurses were trained to become LPN instructors.
There are now 15 Kane employees that have passed the Health Education Systems Incorporated test, a reliable assessment and prediction tool for success in LPN school. Kane enrolled 12 of these employees in the October 2022 LPN class at Greater Johnstown Career and Technology program in Monroeville. On-site clinical training for students in the LPN program is provided at the Kane McKeesport Center. ANTICOAGULATION THERAPY Anticoagulation therapy is commonly used to prevent blood clots. It is also used for various heart conditions and circulatory problems, including heart attack patients, prosthetic heart valves, treatment or prevention of venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Although effective in many of these uses, it can also be deadly if not properly monitored. Elderly patients are more likely to be on anticoagulant drugs and are also more likely to have adverse reactions. Appropriate dosing of the geriatric resident requires careful and frequent monitoring. Prothrombin Time and International Normalized Ratio (PT-INR) testing is done to measure how quickly the blood clots. The result of this test helps the physician determine the correct dosing of the anticoagulant drug. In the past PT-INR testing was done at the lab only. In 2022 the Kane Community Living Centers purchased PT-INR testing machines for all four facilities. The Nursing Department received the proper training and now the Kanes are able to receive immediate results on PT-INR tests. This means that the physician can make timely and accurate decisions on anticoagulant therapy dosing on the same day of the patient visit. Because of the timely results residents can avoid the consequences of excessive bleeding or hemorrhaging due to abnormal clotting times. VALUE-BASED CARE MODEL Many insurance companies and other payors are moving from the existing payment model to a Value- Based Care Model. In the Value Based Care Model, the insurance companies are expecting high-quality outcomes requiring better coordination of patient experiences across the continuum of care. Towards this, the insurance companies are providing education, cost awareness and actionable data to providers. Under the Value-Based Model, incentives are being given to providers in addition to the base reimbursement. The Kane Centers are well positioned to leverage these incentives in 2023 as it has invested in technology over the last few years which can provide actionable data and help better outcomes for its residents. RANKING OF AMERICA’S BEST NURSING HOMES On an annual basis, Newsweek Magazine along with research firm Statista, publishes a ranking of America’s Best Nursing Homes. The rankings are based on three critical criteria: overall performance data, peer recommendations, and each facility’s handling of COVID, relative to in-state competition. In 2022, three Kane Community Living Centers appeared in the top 25 nursing homes in Pennsylvania. These outstanding ratings will help county residents be even more inclined to select one of the Kane Community Living Centers to care for their loved ones.
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Public Safety
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Emergency Services
The Department of Emergency Services (ACES) provides crucial support to local residents and governments during emergencies and other events. The department is made up of four divisions: Emergency Management, 9-1-1 Communications, Fire Marshal, and Fire Academy. The department’s primary function is coordination. This ensures quick response to 9-1-1 calls, natural disasters, training of local emergency first responders and multi-jurisdictional coordination during emergencies and pre-planned events. In addition to the four divisions, the department coordinates with ACES Response Teams, the Local Emergency Planning Committee, the Citizen Corps Council and the Region 13 Task Force. Working with residents, municipalities, and businesses in advance of an emergency helps prepare the community, making Allegheny County resilient and sustainable. There are 339 people who work in the Allegheny County Emergency Services Department. These individuals fulfill many roles: 9-1-1 dispatchers, 9-1-1 tactical telecommunications officers, 9-1-1 telecommunicators, 9-1-1 professional development specialists, CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch)/IT specialists, emergency management specialists, emergency management coordinators, communications specialists, fire & explosion investigators, tank inspectors, tank facility inspectors, fire training instructors, administrators. ABOUT To support the citizens and first responders of Allegheny County through prevention, preparation, protection, response and recovery from manmade and natural all-hazard emergencies and acts of terrorism. MISSION
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2022 Emergency Services Highlights 9-1-1 COMMUNICATIONS 1,473,920 dispatches 911 Dispatches
EMS Dispatches 17%
101,520 dispatches - Fire 256,453 dispatches - EMS 1,116,417 dispatches - Police
Police Dispatches 76%
Fire Dispatches 7%
Fire EMS Police
FIRE TRAINING ACADEMY In 2022, the Fire Academy served as the test site for 218 certification candidates . 5,117 fire academy students
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 7 activations of the Emergency Operations Center 50 hours total Emergency Managerment Agency (EMA) Trainings 4 EMA exercises completed 928 EMA training attendees Hazardous Materials Team 28 EMA hazmat responses
FIRE MARSHAL 344 fires investigated 1.1% decrease from 2021
42 accelerant K-9 assists 16 arson arrests Flammable/Combustible Storage Tank Inspections 41 install inspections 174 site safety inspections 40 applications approved 37 certificates issued
6 full team responses 5 phone consultations
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9-1-1 COMMUNICATIONS Emergency Services celebrated 71 new hires across six training classes with its first New Hire Academic Graduation Ceremony in August. The hires were the result of 15 mega hiring events, participation in the first Allegheny County Virtual Job Fair, as well as testing sessions and training classes for lead and shift commanders and lead telecommunications officers (TCOs). The professional development team conducted 18 CPR training classes for new personnel and TCOs and a Stop the Bleed class for ACES administration. Call center personnel received 14 hours of continuing education, and the department’s Quality Assurance and Training Program received certification. Emergency Services organized for a mass distribution of new state of the art mobile and portable radios for each public safety agency in Allegheny County. The department procured and programmed 2,861 new portable and mobile public safety radios for 326 fire, police and EMS agencies. The project will greatly improve public safety radio communications with each agency receiving up to eight new radios. The department also conducted in-depth reviews of all hardware at each of its 47 radio tower sites. Hardware, battery backup systems, and antennas have been improved or replaced. These projects will continue into 2023 to further system improvements. Emergency Services Program Spotlights
FIRE MARSHAL The Allegheny Fire Marshal’s accelerant detection K-9 Bailey retired in October 2022. Bailey and his handler assisted with the investigation of 603 fires in Allegheny County and the tri-state region since April 2015. In November, K-9 Pluto, a 17-month-old yellow English Labrador Retriever and his handler graduated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Canine Division’s accelerant detection canine handler course. Pluto and his handler are one of 65 ATF Accelerant Detection teams throughout the United States, and Pluto is one of five ATF dogs located in Pennsylvania. They are part of the ATF
National Response Team and may be called to assist in large-scale investigations throughout the United States and its territories. Pluto is the fire marshal’s fifth accelerant detection canine, and its fourth to receive ATF certification. FIRE TRAINING ACADEMY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT The training academy hosted Paratech Academy, one of the nation’s premiere technical rescue training providers, which drew 25 local, regional and out-of-state rescue practitioners, to receive instruction and hands-on training with the company’s latest technical rescue tools. A new multistory prop building has added a new level of real-life feel to live fire training rotations since its installation last year. Students and testing candidates have praised the great work by instructional staff to aid in the design of the prop and improve instruction.
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EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT The Emergency Management Agency (EMA) division responded to several truck incidents and two train derailments involving hazardous materials. The Hazardous Materials Team spent weeks working with local agencies to clean up a Memorial Day weekend train derailment in Harmar Township that leaked petroleum distillates into the Allegheny River. Together, emergency responders succeeded in containing and controlling a potentially catastrophic incident. The EMA division activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to support U.S. Secret Service during three local visits by the President and Vice President of the United States.
Trainings in 2022 included a Beaver Valley Power Station exercise for contiguous counties that included an EOC activation and a mass evacuation and decontamination exercise. Both state and federal emergency management agency personnel evaluated the exercises. The division also obtained 100% compliance with all 130 municipalities accepting and adopting the County Hazard Mitigation Plan for the first time.
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Jail
Built in 1995, Allegheny County Jail (ACJ) is a high-rise direct supervision jail located in downtown Pittsburgh. Incarcerated individuals are housed at the ACJ facility, with a capacity of 3,156 inmates, and at two alternative housing facilities, which together can hold an additional 335 inmates. The average daily population of the ACJ is approximately 1,510, and ACJ completes over 8,000 intakes annually. The average length of incarceration is 30 days for females and 47 days for males. ACJ provides a variety of services to inmates including: Healthcare, Substance Use Treatment, Education, Inmate Tablet Program, Re-entry Program, Alternative Housing, and Discharge and Release Center In October 2019, Allegheny County Jail achieved the PA 37 Accreditation, including full compliance with Title 37, Chapter 95 County Correctional Institutions, Subchapter B. Administrative Standards, Regulations and Facilities. There are 561 people who work in the Allegheny County Jail. These individuals fulfill many roles, including: correctional officers, video arraignment, discharge and release, doctors, licensed practical nurses, pharmacy technicians, mental health counselors, substance abuse counselors, administrative staff, clerical staff. ABOUT To increase public safety by providing care, custody, and control of persons incarcerated and reduce recidivism by providing access to programs that will help persons re-enter and succeed in society. MISSION
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