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DHS NEWS April 2016
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“We hope that our partners in the community will help us with this crucial gathering of information. The results could build a brighter future for a segment of the county’s youth that has been disenfranchised.”
Hilary Scherer, DHS Integrated Programs Specialist, speaking of the upcoming YOUth Count of youth who are homeless
Partners sought to help in YOUth Count survey of youth who are homeless The Unaccompanied Youth Task Force will soon undertake a second survey of youth in the county who are homeless, with results to be used as a tool to help tailor and evaluate services for those young people. Called YOUth Count, the survey was first conducted in 2015. This year, the survey will be conducted from April 29 to May 6. The task force, overseen by the Department of Human Services (DHS), includes approximately 65 representatives of nonprofits, providers, and county and city agencies. The task force was formed following a report issued in 2014 by the DHS Office of Data Analysis, Research and Evaluation (DARE), "I’ll Never Get Used to It: Young People Living on the Streets," which urged closer examination of causes and possible solutions to homelessness among youth. Facilitated by Hilary Scherer, DHS Integrated Programs Specialist, the task force this year is seeking dedicated partners to distribute the survey. Partners who agree to get the survey into the hands of any person age 24 or under and follow through with their pledge will help improve assistance for youth who may be floundering as a result of not having a safe, stable place to live. “By having reliable local data, we will know the extent of the need, we can plan our resources and we can really make the arguments for funding to secure those resources,” Hilary said. “We can also create benchmarks to see if our collection of services is having an impact.”
Promotion of the YOUth Count survey will include postings on Twitter (@ACDHS) and the DHS Facebook page. For more information on how to participate, contact Hilary Scherer, Hilary.scherer@alleghenycounty.us, or 412-350-4938.
Capturing info about the age group 18 to 24 is especially important to DHS and the task force, since child welfare typically provides for younger youth who would otherwise be homeless. The older cohort has presented a conundrum and concern nationwide. National studies have found that young adults who have become homeless because of a range of issues – sexual orientation, drug and alcohol use, abandonment – tend to be distrustful, and successfully connecting them to supports that will improve their lives has been difficult. Improving the situation begins with a count that is as accurate as possible. The upcoming Allegheny County YOUth Count survey, consequently, will take a broad look at homelessness – anyone 24 and
under who lacks stable, safe housing—and enable DHS and the Unaccompanied Youth Task Force to explore youth housing instability across the varying federal definitions of homelessness. Hilary will be among task force members who will kick off YOUth Count at the spring meeting of the Homeless Education Network (HEN), beginning at 9 a.m., April 22 at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 616 N. Highland Ave, East Liberty. The network is part of the Homeless Children’s Education Fund (HCEF). Following remarks by HCEF founder Joe Lagana, a member of the task force, HCEF intern Grace Enick will present a youth perspective and Hilary will give an overview of the survey. Courtney Lewis, DHS Social Media Specialist, will give a call to action, including review of a DHS-produced video that YOUth Counts partners can use to encourage youth to take the confidential survey. There also will be a musical performance by Aric. “We hope that our partners in the community will help us with this crucial gathering of information,” she said. “The results could build a brighter future for a segment of the county’s youth that has been disenfranchised.” More information about YOUth Count is available on the DHS website. To RSVP for HEN meeting on April 22, click here.
PUMPed to Run will help people who are homeless get on their feet Volunteers and donors are being sought to support an outreach effort designed to bring the many benefits of running to people living in homeless shelters. The PUMPed to Run group will link mentor runners with anyone in a shelter who would like to improve their physical fitness and fuel a sense of accomplishment with a morning workout in Downtown or on the North Side. Organizers are targeting the week of May 16 for PUMPed to Run’s start up.
Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Program (PUMP) and its Pittsburgh Sports League are assisting in an outreach to bring the benefits of running to people who are homeless. Right, Seth Abrams of the Bureau of Homeless Services, a devoted long distance runner, is among the PUMPed to Run organizers.
The group is a project of the Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Program (PUMP) and its Pittsburgh Sports League. Seth Abrams, Program and Fiscal Specialist for the Department of Human Services (DHS) Bureau of Homeless Services and an avid long distance runner, is serving on PUMPed to Run’s advisory board. As planning for PUMPed to Run progressed, Seth researched similar groups in other cities. He said running can help participants who are homeless by improving self-perception and therefore, the ability to complete tasks. Running releases endorphins, chemicals in the brain that have been shown to boost self-esteem and reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Endorphins also improve sleep. For volunteer mentor runners, who are expected to lead runs at least once a week, PUMPed to Run is “a way to give back through a sport that they love,” Seth said. Mentors need to have “patience, knowledge of running and an outgoing personality. Some new runners might only be able to run for 30 seconds or a block and will need encouragement,” Seth said. The advisory board sought partners for PUMPed to Run. Along with DHS, currently the other partners are Bethlehem Haven and North Side Common Ministries, and Light of Light Mission, also on the North Side. Fleet Feet Sports Pittsburgh, a retailer of running shoes and gear in Upper St. Clair, is helping by promoting the project on its webpage and agreeing to gather equipment donations. The shelter providers will ensure that runners who are staying at the shelters can shower and go on with their day before the shelters close in the mornings. Donors can help out by contributing funds that will buy equipment, or by donating equipment. Details are on the PUMPed to Run webpage.
Fleet Feet will host a drive to collect new or gently used running shoes or apparel from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 17. The store is located at 1751 N. Highland Road, Upper St. Clair, in Norman Centre II off Route 19, near South Hills Village mall. Phone: 412-851-9500. Those interested in assisting may also contact Seth at seth.abrams@alleghenycounty.us or 412-3506147.
“Hear Me” kiosks amplify foster youths’ voices about needs Understanding. Patience. Commitment. These attributes are among those prospective foster parents must have to support them, foster youth say in recordings that will be disseminated for county residents to hear as part of the “Hear Me” project conducted by the CREATE Lab at Carnegie Mellon University for the Department of Human Services (DHS). “Hear Me” records the opinions of children on a variety of issues, so that citizens and policymakers have the input of young people. The recordings are put into kiosks that can be strategically placed to reach people for whom the messages may resonate. In the instance of foster children, DHS partnered with the CREATE Lab to record teens in foster care as part of its Families for Teens foster parent recruitment effort. Six teens were recorded for “Hear Me” and the first kiosk has been install in the Human Services Building, Downtown. Additional kiosks will be placed at events and locations around the county. Each kiosk features a tin can that is actually a speaker, through which people can hear the recordings. They also can leave feedback about the recordings via notecards.
A Hear Me kiosk has been placed on the lower level of the Human Services Building so people can listen to youth discuss what they need from prospective foster parents.
Twanda Clark, Families for Teens Training Specialist, said the Hear Me kiosks should help to increase awareness of teens’ experiences in and feelings about foster care with both workers and the community. She said the kiosks came about after Andrea Rudek, Training Supervisor in the Office of Children, Youth and Families (CYF), mentioned that she had previously work with the CREATE Lab on a “Hear Me” project. “I’m hoping the recordings will shape and form our service delivery, with our professional staff here at CYF as they hear the voices of youth and hear what they are feeling and their perception of care,” Twanda said. She noted that the “Hear Me” project also introduced youth to recording and editing processes, so they got a glimpse of an employment field they might want to pursue.
During prevention month, quilts tell stories of child abuse’s impact Quilts created by those who have been touched in some way by childhood trauma are on display at the Allegheny County Courthouse Gallery to observe Child Abuse Prevention Month, which is marked in April each year. Children seen by the professionals at A Child's Place for treatment of child abuse decorated fabric squares showing a happy moment in their lives. The squares were then made into quilt. Caseworkers in the Office of Children, Youth and Families (CYF) created another quilt from squares they made at a retreat last summer. The squares illustrate the resiliency they show in the face of onthe-job stress. Caseworker MC Henderson pieced those squares into a quilt that is tied with blue ribbons and bordered in blue. Blue ribbons are a symbol of child abuse prevention.
The quilt display at the county courthouse and details of two of the quilts.
The third quilt was created by the Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Youth Support Partners (YSPs), young adults who mentor young people who are receiving services. YSPs have had experience in the human services system and often have gone through childhood trauma themselves. The quilts will be on display through April at the courthouse, 436 Grant St., Downtown. Child Abuse Prevention Month has been marked since 1983. DHS has promoted the event each year for over a decade, often in collaboration with A Child's Place and Family Resources. Both are providers of prevention, intervention and treatment services for families and children dealing with child abuse. The national Child Information Gateway website also has information about factors that help prevent child abuse, as well as tip sheets and activities that can be shared with families.
Kites ‘fly’ in the Human Services Building for early childhood literacy The lobby of the Human Services Building, One Smithfield St., Downtown, is decorated with colorful kites made by children enrolled in early education programs countywide. The children made the kites in support of the Pennsylvania One Book, Every Young Child Early Literacy Initiative. For 2016 the initiative features the book “Kite Day: A Bear and Mole Story,” written and illustrated by Will Hillenbrand. Early childhood programs participating in the kite making are those operated by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Pittsburgh Public Schools and the Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center (COTRAIC). The kites will be on display throughout April, which the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children (PAEYC) is celebrating as the Month of the Young Child.
Computer security and privacy tips: Home computer networks In conjunction with the Office of Administrative and Information Management Systems (AIMS), the DHS News is offering tips for using your computer safely and securely. DHS employees and contracted personnel are required to adhere to laws and regulations regarding confidentiality and Protected Health Information (PHI). These tips are designed to enhance knowledge on avoiding use that could compromise data. If you have additional questions, contact the DHS Service Desk at 412-350-4357, option 2.
How to secure your home computer network Protecting your home network and connected devices allows you to securely connect your DHS-issued or personal devices to the DHS network remotely, while enabling your family to access the Internet safely and securely. The first step to security is to “Keep a Clean Machine”, meaning you should ensure all of your Internet-enabled devices have the latest operating systems, web browsers and anti-virus software. This includes mobile devices that access your wireless or Wi-Fi home network. Also, unless your home internet router is secured, you’re vulnerable to unauthorized people accessing sensitive information on your computer and connected internet devices, or using your Internet service for free and potentially using your network to commit cybercrimes. Here are some ways to secure your internet router/wireless network:
Change the default name of your Wi-Fi network: When you set up a wireless home network, you give it a name to distinguish it from other networks in your neighborhood. Service Set Identifier (SSID) is simply the technical term for a network name. You'll see this name when you connect your device to your wireless network. Change your Wi-Fi network SSID for your household member names or home address to a unique name that will not be easily guessed by others.
Change the pre-set password on your router: When creating a new password, make sure it uses a mix of numbers, letters and symbols and is lengthy.
Review wireless security options: When choosing your router’s level of security, opt for WPA2, if available, or Wireless Protected Access (WPA). Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) option has been known to be a less secure and vulnerable encryption protocol.
Create a guest Wi-Fi password: Some routers allow guests to use the network via a separate password. If you have many visitors to your home, it’s a good idea to set up a separate guest wireless network.
Use a personal firewall: While anti-virus software scans incoming email and files, a firewall acts as a protective guard, watching for attempts to access your system and blocking communications with sources you don't permit. Your operating system and/or security software likely comes with a pre-installed firewall, but make sure you enable this feature.
Exercise caution with web sites and emails: Avoid malicious or suspicious internet sites or content downloads and take extreme caution in clicking emails/attachments from unknown or suspicious senders.
DHS network remote access: Access the DHS network from your home using only mobile phones, tablets, laptops or other such devices that have been issued by DHS. Or, make sure that the devices you are using have the latest operating systems, internet browsers, screen saver, password/passcode options and security patches applied. Refrain from using public computers to access the DHS network. Do not share DHS-issued devices with others and promptly report lost or stolen devices to your supervisor.
Monitor your internet data usage trends: Review your monthly internet usage from internet service provider invoices/reports for detecting any unusually higher internet bandwidth usage.
See more at https://staysafeonline.org/stay-safe-online/keep-a-clean-machine/securing-yourhome-network
Kudos: Tamara Hilko Kudos goes to Tamara Hilko, Eastern Regional Office Director (ROD), for her “collaborative spirit” and for being “a champion for prevention and wellness for children.” She drew praise from Terri Reighard, Project LAUNCH Young Child Wellness Coordinator, for reaching out to the Department of Human Service (DHS) Integration Team so that Tammy could attend staff meetings and thus facilitate communications between offices.