Launch a new program in which trained mental health professionals will respond to mental health crisis 911 calls

In partnership with police departments in McKees Rocks, Penn Hills, Monroeville, and the Allegheny County Housing Authority, the Alternative Response Team (A-Team) will go alone to calls deemed not to require a police response, and will respond simultaneously or following a police response for other calls. This new program will be the first of its kind in Allegheny County, and the county wants to learn from it so it can thoughtfully and effectively expand this model in partnership with additional municipalities and police departments. The county and its selected provider will create a public data dashboard to track the program’s impact and will work to identify additional state and federal funding to sustain and expand this program.

In Progress

The soft launch of the Alternative Response program (A-Team) is planned for Penn Hills and Monroeville in late 2024, with key steps taken to prepare.

Continue to improve systems for addressing intimate partner violence

The Intimate Partner Violence Reform Initiative is led in partnership by Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh, and aims to improve coordination across Allegheny County to better serve survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) and address those who use violence. The county will continue to coordinate and support reforms, including:

• Implementing real-time interventions to deter violence and protect and support survivors and their families. The Department of Human Services (DHS) coordinates work with the courts, police, and other partners to focus on people who repeatedly use intimate partner violence and use clear messages and responses to deter future violence
• Expanding screening for IPV lethality risk conducted by police officers, creating enhanced training for health care workers, judges, and social workers, and improving access to the courts for survivors
• Working with the National Network for Safe Communities to design targeted interventions for parents/caregivers that help break the cycle of abuse

In Progress

DHS launched an Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) real-time high-risk review and response team, covering the City of Pittsburgh in response to the findings of the 2017-2022 report. They have conducted training for federal, state, and local judges and trained healthcare social workers at Children’s Hospital, Magee Womens Hospital, and the Center for Inclusion Health. Additionally, staff has conducted a 2023 IPV homicide review and started training additional individuals as a result.

Work to expand pathways in good, public service jobs with the County for young people

Allegheny County is continually advertising and hiring for all positions across the county, including promoting paid opportunities with the Parks Department.

In Progress

Update coming soon.

Promote and work to secure additional resources for workforce development programs specifically designed for young people

The County is committed to continuing to identify more partners and resources to support effective programs for young people. For example, in March 2024, County Executive Sara Innamorato and Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey kicked off the 10th anniversary of the Learn & Earn summer youth employment program and encouraged additional participation from the region’s business community.

Learn & Earn, a joint endeavor of Allegheny County, the City of Pittsburgh, and Partner4Work, has employed nearly 13,000 young people and returned $13,000,000.00 in wages to the local economy. Since its inception in 2014, the program has consistently produced the largest group of school-aged, trained, and work-ready young people in the county and city.

In Progress

Learn and Earn had a successful summer serving over 1,000 youth. Additional resources are being sought to serve the maximum number of eligible youth for summer 2025. Within the last six months, Partner4Work has initiated three Young Adult Reentry Program contracts with Landforce, Phase 4, and All State.

These contracts will help young adults with justice system involvement learn occupational skills. Operation Better Block (OBB) was awarded a contract for case management. Career Ready Allegheny, a website that will provide resources for businesses and school districts on best practices in workforce development and match districts in need of business volunteers with businesses interested in building youth pipelines will launch in late 2024.

Work to create a RAD Pass specifically designed for youth

Helping young people access free and discounted recreational activities designed for young people across the county, regardless of the municipality in which they live.

In Progress

The RAD Pass for the Summer Staycation initiative was launched this past spring. Over 30,000 residents entered the gates of participating attractions during the first two months of RAD summer staycation, and 64% of surveyed residents said they visited an attraction they had never been to before.

The Summer Staycation initiative aimed to provide additional opportunities for county residents to enjoy their regional assets, free of charge, at times which worked best for their schedules. With the development of a RAD pass for youth, we hope to continue this effort year-round for the youth living in the county.

Quotes from residents:

“RAD Pass exceeds the former RAD days by eliminating high traffic congestion.”

 

“My husband and I took our terminally ill brother and his wife. He really enjoyed being at the zoo… Hadn’t been there in years.”

 

“Thank you for allowing me to bring my son to explore these area cultural attractions which we couldn’t otherwise afford to see.”

Work with philanthropic partners to create a microgrant program that will support young people and community-based organizations to host fun, free activities in their neighborhoods

Not Started

Due to budget challenges and other philanthropic priorities, as well as the loss of ARPA and CARES funding, this has not advanced. Allegheny County continues to fund several programs and events for young people.

Build new partnerships with local universities to bring more high-quality medical services and committed medical staff into the jail

Helping the county to continue adopting evidence-based care models that can improve conditions for people while they are detained and help them connect to ongoing care when they return to the community has been shown to reduce returns to jail.

  Completed

The Allegheny County Jail (ACJ) works with local universities to bring interns and residents into the facility. Interns include nurses and social work students, while residents have included physicians and physical assistants. Additionally, jail employees who need clinical hours for licensures can complete those supervised hours while working at the facility.

Continue to explore how the County can offer competitive wages and other incentives to attract more physical and mental health professionals to serve in the jail

In Progress

The Allegheny County Jail (ACJ) has increased wages for therapists and social workers and continues to offer sign-on bonuses for healthcare social workers, therapists, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and medical assistants.

Strengthen the existing reentry services program and infuse a cognitive behavioral approach through the reentry system

Service providers offer programs to detained people that address health, relationships, employment, and other needs, and infuse a cognitive behavioral approach throughout the reentry system. The group-based programs and additional activities implemented in housing units, aim to support people to achieve well-being, stability, and hopefully avoid future interactions with the criminal legal system. These new programs will be available regardless of municipality people return to after leaving the county jail.

In Progress

The Department of Human Services (DHS) released an RFP in April 2024 for the development of an enhanced, more comprehensive reentry system.

Three evaluation committees are currently reviewing proposals across three core service areas, and the county anticipates awarding contracts to successful proposers in October 2024:

1. 1. Administration and facilitation of Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R) Courses in the ACJ and multiple community-based settings, in collaboration with Beck Institute
   2. Implementation and facilitation of curriculum-based programming in the ACJ related to mental and physical health, substance use treatment-related supports, job training and development, and relationship building and maintenance
   3. Coordination of activities-based programming and library resources

Make it easier for people returning to the community following time in jail or prison to move back home with family or live in public housing

People returning to the community face significant barriers to finding safe, affordable housing – a problem that can create a cycle of housing insecurity and incarceration. Allegheny County and the Housing Authority worked with the Vera Institute of Justice to make it easier for people with prior criminal legal system involvement to live with their families in public housing. In the coming year, we will explore more changes to remove every possible barrier to public housing for people returning to the community.

Not Started

The Allegheny County Housing Authority (ACHA) participates in the Vera Institute’s reentry program which allows for incarcerated individuals to be added to a current ACHA lease under the family unification process. They also work with individuals seeking their own housing and exercise discretion in all cases. Hearing officers take into consideration whether an applicant is in a rehabilitation program along with recognizing support letters from case workers. ACHA and the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) are working to make more progress on reducing barriers for people with criminal records who want to live with family or otherwise become tenants of ACHA, or other public housing.

Launch a diversion program that will provide arraignment judges with plans that offer people community-based treatment instead of admission to jail

Following a six-month planning process with the Allegheny Court System, public defenders, and prosecutors, diversion coordinators will provide plans to arraignment judges for eligible defendants that support community-based services instead of sending them to jail while they wait for trial. This program will assess risk factors for incarceration before arraignment and develop recommendations for community treatment alternatives that can be presented to the judge. Areas of focus will be physical and mental health, substance use, employment, housing, and dependent care.

In Progress

This project is currently in the planning stages as the jail is working collaboratively with DHS. Funded by two grants from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the jail will implement enhanced screening at the jail’s intake department, provide additional medical support, and recruit and hire diversion coordinators to take part in the pre-arraignment process. This will help reduce the jail population while identifying individuals who would benefit more from alternatives to incarceration.

Add medical staff at intake to better address the needs of people entering the criminal legal system

With the addition of EMTs present during jail intake, the county will be able to triage, treat urgent health needs, and conduct screenings and assessments so people can get the care they need while in custody.

In Progress

A grant has been secured to provide pre-arraignment diversion positions and additional EMS positions at intake. Both types of positions are currently posted on the Allegheny County website and will be factored into the jail’s budget directly in the coming years.

Launch a new mobile competency restoration support unit for those awaiting an available bed in our state hospital who would otherwise be detained in jail

Adding behavioral health professionals who can quickly treat and support people who are found not competent to stand trial and who would otherwise remain detained in jail while waiting for an available bed in our state hospital.

In Progress

A provider has been selected for this service and is actively working with the Allegheny County Jail (ACJ) and Department of Human Services (DHS) to develop policies and procedures for the new team.