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Priority Area: Environmental Health 

 

Goal 6: More people live in stable and safe housing.

Objective 6.1 More people are stably housed.

  • Outcome Indicators

     

    Outcome Indicator

    Baseline

    PHA Impact

    PHA Target

    Data Source
    6.1.1. Point-in-Time (PIT) homeless count in shelters or transitional housing programs and unsheltered homeless population N/A 10% total reduction 2% reduction per year ACDHS
    6.1.2. % of rent-burdened households
    47.7% of households
    (2021)
    		 12% decrease 42% of households 2021 ACS 1-year Selected Population Profile
    6.1.3. # of teens with unstable housing
    16% of teens
    (2018)
    		 25% decrease 12% of teens YRBS
    6.1.4. # of affordable housing units N/A Add ≥450 units N/A ACED

Objective 6.2 Fewer people live in housing that does not meet health standards.

  • Outcome Indicator

     

    Outcome Indicator

    Baseline

    PHA Impact

    PHA Target

    Data Source
    6.2.1. Compliance for abatement for housing complaint cases with Class 1 or Class 2 violations
    60% compliance
    (2021)
    		 25% increase 75% compliance ACHD Housing Program

Objective 6.3 Fewer children have elevated blood lead levels.

  • Outcome Indicator

    *On October 28, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated the blood lead reference value from 5.0 μg/dL to 3.5 μg/dL.

     

    Outcome Indicator

    Baseline

    PHA Impact

    PHA Target

    Data Source
    6.3.1. % of children with elevated blood lead level (≥3.5 μg/dL)*
    2.7% of children
    (2021)
    		 26% decrease 2.0% of children PA NEDSS

Strategies

  • Update the Allegheny County Health Department’s regulations Article VI: Housing & Community Environment and Article XXIII: Universal Blood Lead Level Testing.

  • Support and grow programs that work with people using shelters, living on the streets or unstably housed to achieve stable housing.

  • Educate families, child care and early learning providers about the need for lead screening in young children.

  • Link those with elevated blood lead levels to services to identify and remediate sources of exposure.

  • Support policies that reduce the amount of blighted and abandoned properties.

  • Support policies that increase the availability of affordable and safe housing.

  • Support community safety and accessibility by improving lighting, expanding tree canopy, planting gardens and enhancing parks.

Goal 7: Fewer people experience violence in their homes and communities.

Objective 7.1 The number of gun-related injuries decrease.

  • Outcome Indicators

     

     

    Outcome Indicator

    Baseline

    PHA Impact

    PHA Target

    Data Source
    7.1.1. # of people with ER visit for gun-related injury
    33 per 100,000 persons
    (2021)
    		 9% decrease 30 per 100,000 persons EpiCenter, PA Health Care Cost Containment Council Inpatient Hospitalizations
    7.1.1. # of people hospitalized for gun-related injury
    15.9 per 100,000 persons
    (2021)
    		 12% decrease 14 per 100,000 persons EpiCenter, PA Health Care Cost Containment Council Inpatient Hospitalizations
    7.1.2. # of calls for "shots fired"
    523 per 100,000 persons
    (2021)
    		 24% decrease 400 per 100,000 persons 911/EMS

Objective 7.2 The number of homicides decrease.

  • Outcome Indicator

     

     

    Outcome Indicator

    Baseline

    PHA Impact

    PHA Target

    Data Source
    7.2.1. Rate of homicide deaths
    9.7 per 100,000 persons
    (2021)
    		 38% decrease 6 per 100,000 persons PA Death Certificates
     
     
     

Objective 7.3 The number of people experiencing violence in their homes decrease.

  • Outcome Indicators

     

     

    Outcome Indicator

    Baseline

    PHA Impact

    PHA Target

    Data Source
    7.3.1. # of adults experiencing threats of intimate partner violence
    5% of adults 
    (2015)
    		 40% decrease 3% of adults BRFSS
    7.3.2. # of children who were victims of substantiated child abuse
    82 per 100,000 children
    (2021)
    		 26% decrease 61 per 100,000 children Allegheny County Dashboard for Child Fatalities and Near-Fatalities
    7.3.3. # of fatalities/near fatalities from suspected child abuse
    25 fatalities/near fatalities
    (2021)
    		 20% decrease 20 fatalities/near fatalities Allegheny County Dashboard for Child Fatalities and Near-Fatalities
    7.3.4. # of domestic violence/intimate partner violence related homicides
    18 homicides
    (2021)
    		 50% decrease 9 homicides PA Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV)

Strategies

  • Provide training and technical assistance for organizations looking to implement the Cure Violence Model and other evidence-based violence prevention programs.

  • Expand the scope of work for the Office of Violence Prevention beyond gun violence to include additional aspects of violence.

  • Strengthen partnerships between government and local organizations that address violence.

  • Support evidence-based programs to improve self-regulation, conflict resolution, bystander response and others that disrupt the cycle of violence.

  • Implement recommendations made by Child Death Review and Act 33 Review processes.

Goal 8: More residents live in communities that are prepared to adapt to and absorb the impacts of climate change.

Objective 8.1 Develop a municipal-level climate resilience index.

  • Outcome Indicator

     

    Outcome Indicator

    Baseline

    PHA Impact

    PHA Target

    Data Source
    8.1.1. Develop climate resilience index N/A New index posted to Allegheny County website N/A ACHD, Allegheny County Department of Sustainability

Objective 8.2 Increase the number of communities planning for and adapting to the impacts of climate change.

  • Outcome Indicator

     
    *In response to climate resiliency index (8.1.1.) to improve climate resiliency.

     

    Outcome Indicator

    Baseline

    PHA Impact

    PHA Target

    Data Source
    8.2.1. % of communities with climate action plans*
    0% of communities
    (2023)
    		 N/A ≥25% of communities Local government units, councils of government

Objective 8.3 Air quality continues to improve.

  • Outcome Indicators

     
    *Fine particulate matter <2.5 μm in diameter; **Air Quality Index

     

    Outcome Indicator

    Baseline

    PHA Impact

    PHA Target

    Data Source
    8.3.1. Annual average PM2.5* concentration
    9.7 μg/m3
    (2021)
    		 ≥12% reduction 8.5 μg/m3 ACHD Air Quality Planning and Data Analysis Program
    8.3.2. % of days per year that sulfur dioxide (SO2) exceeds an AQI** of 50
    36 days per year
    (2021)
    		 28% decrease 26 days per year ACHD Air Quality Planning and Data Analysis Program

Strategies

  • Review national examples of climate resiliency indices, adopt and develop best practices.

  • Expand awareness and engagement of vector control strategies and programs.

  • Support local governments in updating local codes or incentivizing the adoption of practices that mitigate climate change.

  • Expand community participation in low-cost air monitoring programs, especially those focused on sensitive populations and environmental justice communities (e.g., schools, childcare centers and senior facilities).

  • Support local governments in expanding and strengthening emergency preparedness planning and preparation for climate-related events.

Abbreviations

  • YRBS: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System
  • BRFSS: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
  • ACDHS: Allegheny County Department of Human Services
  • ACS: American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau)
  • ACED: Allegheny County Economic Development
  • PA NEDSS: Pennsylvania Electronic Disease Surveillance System