UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

Community Outreach Partnership Center

Progress Report

July 1, 2001 to December 31, 2001

 

COPC Highlights

Housing

Neighborhood Revitalization (Capacity Building)

Economic Development

Job Training

Education

Health and Wellness

Reports and Studies are available for review at the COPC website at www.pitt.edu/~copc

 

Project Focus 1: Housing

Part I - Summary and Synthesis

            The Housing program area of COPC achieved several significant milestones in the 2nd half of 2001. 

·        University and Community Partners established the Working Group on Housing, an ad hoc committee that meets monthly to discuss solutions to Central Oakland housing problems.  COPC and Community Development Work Study fellows participate in this group.  The main issues have been on Fair Housing and Absentee Landlords.  This group designed and administered a focus group study of student renters, homeowners, landlords, long-term renter residents, and international students to determine the main housing issues, problems and solutions in Central and South Oakland.  The research was conducted by OPDC community organizer Megan Bursic, and assisted by CDWSP fellow Kelly Hoffman.  Two focus groups were completed by December.

·        The Working Group on Housing developed The Bag Project for new student renters in Central Oakland.  Approximately 3,000 bags of information were placed on doorknobs in Central Oakland Labor Day 2001 weekend.  The bags contained information on tenants’ rights and responsibilities, landlords’ rights and responsibilities, fire and safety information, transportation, student health and promotional materials from Oakland businesses.

·        An off-campus location was secured for the first satellite office of the Housing Resource Center (HRC).  The office was secured in November and prepared for occupancy in January 2002.  It is located on the first floor of a building that houses community partners Oakland Planning and Development Corp. and Oakland Citizens’ Council.

Part II - Summary of Major Activities (Progress on Tasks)

Activity 1.1: Housing Improvements in Oakland

Activity 1.2: Update Oakland Housing survey and improve GIS capacity

Activity 1.3: Promoting healthy homes in Oakland

Activity 1.4: Building and Zoning Code Enforcement Inspections

Activity 1.5: Furthering Fair Housing in Target Neighborhoods

Activity 1.6: Focus on Allequippa Terrace/Oak Hill

Activity 1.7: Hazelwood Housing Inventory (Hazelwood Initiative)

 

 

Project Focus: 2. Neighborhood Revitalization

Part I - Summary and Synthesis

Allequippa Terrace Food Pantry – COPC has largely  accomplished its three main goals in its role with  the Allequippa Terrace Food Pantry:   to raise funds to provide adequate monthly food allotments and pay for food pantry staff, increase nutritional education and value of food, and expand the Residents Council’s ability to run the food pantry.  .

The Residents Council has hired a full time business manager who allots enough funds to provide as much food now as had been purchased during the period when Allequippa Terrace was receiving a grant from an anonymous foundation for one year. He has also found funds to pay for food pantry staff.

 

Volunteering with Seniors Program – New Activity

Since September, three student volunteers have assisted Oak Hill residents with home maintenance on a weekly or biweekly basis for one to two hours each visit.  HOU Case Managers referred clients to the COPC intern, and after pairing each volunteer with a resident or residents, she works to establish what specific assistance is needed. After completing sessions volunteers report to the COPC intern ensuring the program runs smoothly and volunteers’ hours are tracked.

 

Community Capacity Building

The COPC has incorporated the Catalyst for Community Building, a grassroots community building training and certificate program, into its Neighborhood Revitalization program area.  Funding has been developed for community capacity building and leadership training under a new United Way Neighborhood Centers initiative and a similar community builder training with Community Health Partnerships in Southwest PA is underway in collaboration with the PA Department of Health district office.

 

Part II - Summary of Major Activities (Progress on Tasks)

Activity 2.1: Allequippa Terrace Food Pantry

 

Activity 2.2: Community-Family Resource Workshops/Capacity Building Training

Activity 2.3: Hazelwood Community Communications

Activity 2.4: Allequippa Terrace/Oak Hill HOPE VI Evaluation

·        Residents helped developed  and conduct the evaluation survey that was distributed to 184 randomly selected HOPE VI residents and completed during this report period.  The School of Social Work’s Community Enhancement Resource Network (under Hide Yamatani) will be working on data analysis this winter for a June report to Beacon Cocoran Jennison Partners, the Allequippa Terrace Tenants Council, and the Pittsburgh Housing Authority on the impact of HOPE VI in this public housing community.

·         Initial Demographic date from the survey reveals the median years residents have lived in the community at 14.78;  Education levels reflect 48% completed high school, almost 19% with some college/training, and about 3% college grads or higher; over 96% are African American; almost 94% are single/divorced/separated versus about 6% married. (copy of survey instrument attached)

 

Project Focus 3: Economic Development

Part I - Summary and Synthesis

The focus of the economic development portion of COPC is entrepreneurial training.  Given changes in federal regulations - welfare and other supplemental income programs, the need for low-income, minority women to participate in entrepreneurial training is more necessary, yet more difficult and complex.   At present there is little to offer women, particularly minority women, who have a desire to pursue self-employment opportunities as an alternative to welfare. 

 

The Self Employment Opportunity Program (SEOP) of the Small Business Development Center has successfully filled this void..  The SEOP consists of 12 weeks of classroom presentations, one on one consulting, and a one-year follow up period of monthly meetings and additional consulting.  The women are identified as having a skill or expertise that could be transferred into some sort of entrepreneurial venture. 

 

The SEOP portion of COPC was not able to begin in April as originally proposed.  Marketing efforts were not successful in attracting enough members to fill a class.  Marketing the program continued in the targeted neighborhoods with the assistance of COPC partners and the efforts of the Small business Development Center and Catherine Meyers.  These combined efforts resulted in a class of twelve beginning in September 2001.  Of the twelve people who began the class, only four completed the program.   Several dropped the class after the first week telling Ms Meyers that entrepreneurship was not for them.  Several others came sporadically and did not complete assignments on a regular basis.  The goal of the class was a completed business plan.  None of the four consistent class members achieved this, but Ms Meyers feel strongly they each will achieve this goal in the near future. 

 

Part II - Summary of Major Activities (Progress on Tasks)

Activity 3.1: Entrepreneurial Training

July

 

August

 

September – December

 

The marketing efforts to fill this class were extensive and difficult. Several reasons may exist for the minimal response.   Ms. Meyers has begun marketing efforts for the next class but feels it will again be a challenge.  Consideration is being given to expanding outreach through the emerging collaboration with the United Way under its Neighborhood Centers initiative.  There is also interest at the United Way toward developing an Individual Development Account (IDA) program to support entrepreneurship instead of the standard home-buying use of IDA programs.

 

Project Focus 4: Job Training

Part I - Summary and Synthesis

The University-Community Career Development Partnership project was linked with the COPC, particularly relative to the Allequippa Terrace/Oak Hill HOPE VI initiative.  The initial contract with Housing Opportunities Unlimited, the Human Service coordinating agency for the HOPE VI managing partnership, is in the process of being reconsidered for the second year.  Recruitment for partnerships is being done on an ongoing basis as eligible and interested residents are identified.

 

In Oakland, UCCDP is intensifying its collaboration with Job*Links to provide expanded job readiness and placement services for local participants and reduce any duplication of services.  Plans are also being made to market UCCDP in Hazelwood, East Liberty, and to agencies (YWCA, Addison Learning Terrace, and HOP).

 

A UCCDP Advisory Board was formed for UCCDP to provide guidance and support in advancing the objectives of the program.  The AB is composed of strategically selected Pitt and UPMC staff members, community leaders, and local foundations.  One of the primary activities of the AB is to assist with efforts to gain more credibility and visibility for the program throughout the two institutions.  Another function of the AB is to give insight to the Director about possible partnerships with other community programs.  Renewed funding from the Pittsburgh Partnership included the addition of a full-time Program Coordinator to assist with all aspects of program management and implementation.  This new staff position has enabled UCCDP to provide more consistency of services to participants and increases the ability to expand its retention efforts.

 

In August 2001, the past UCCDP Director left the program to pursue personal interests.  A new Director was placed in November 2001 and has been assertive in continuing the services of UCCDP.  Meetings have taken place and are planned to heighten recruitment efforts and delivery of services.

 

In seeking advocates for UCCDP within the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC, a close working relationship has been formed with the leadership of the Office of Community and Governmental Relations to provide support and endorsement with the University’s upper administration.  The goal is to institutionalize UCCDP into the total University of Pittsburgh structure.  At UPMC, closer alliances with Corporate Staffing are providing better opportunities for tracking our participants in the system and dealing with problems as they arise.  Meetings have been scheduled for the upcoming month to educate other key decision makers at UPMC about UCCDP.

 

UCCDP is also in the process of developing new marketing brochures as a vehicle to enhance the recruitment process.

 

As expanded outreach efforts are more successful, the residents who come into the program will be integrated into the whole range of activities that are already being successfully implemented for UCCDP participants who are referred under other contracts.  Since July 2, 2001, twelve participants have been served through UCCDP.  Of those, seven have obtained full time employment, two are currently participating in job readiness and will be placed in internships within the next two weeks, and three were either terminated or referred back to the SPOC program.

 

SPOC recently reported that they have been getting a low volume into their program (from the Department of Welfare) resulting in UCCDP receiving a low number of referrals.  A meeting has been scheduled with Allegheny County to address this issue.

 

 

Part II - Summary of Major Activities (Progress on Tasks)

Activity 4.0: University-Community Career Development Partnership Program (UCCDP)

 

Project Focus 5: Education

Part I - Summary and Synthesis

Activity 5.1: Children’s Literacy (Pitt Project TUTOR)

Pitt Project TUTOR served 25 children using 13 undergraduate volunteers during the 2001 Fall Term.  In addition to training the students our tutor coordinators recruited, we trained four staff counselors and tutors from the Urban Studies Department to use our materials and strategies.     

 

By joining together with the University of Pittsburgh’s Pitt Project Tutor, the Urban Studies Department provided the community’s after school program at the Mercy Neighborhood Center with at least two tutors each day, Monday through Friday, from 3:00-4:00pm.  Tutors, students, representative of Pitt Project Tutor, and the head of the after school program are pleased with the success of the program.

 

Each child was tutored by one of the volunteers.  They assisted children in reading, writing, mathematics, and in specific homework assignments.  An added activity provided was work in developing phonemic awareness.  At the end of the fall term each child received his/her own book.  They were very pleased to have a book that they could take home to read and share.  We also provided assistance and materials to help one of the counselors with her reading.    A math workshop is planned for the coming term at the request of counselors on staff.

 

One challenge we face is that the staff feels the need to have our tutors work with groups.  We offer individual assistance because we have found it to be more effective than providing group activities.  We will leave it up to other groups, like the Urban Studies Project workers, to provide group activities.

 

Another challenge is the limited space available for tutoring at any one time.  As many as four or five students must work in very small rooms at the same time.  This led to many distractions.  Still students report that they value the time spent individually with tutors.  Tutors report that the experience is helpful to them as they prepare to pursue teacher preparation/training.

 

Activity 5.2: School-to-Career and Youth Programming in West Oakland

Work continued with the School-to-Career Program throughout the summer of 2001.  During that time, approximately 20 middle and high school students participated in the Youth Works Program (a separately funded project that compliments the goals of the COPC Project).  Students took several inventories, which gave them data on their career interests, work values, and academic achievement.  They also took the Goal Orientation Index – a self-report inventory that provides a profile of an individual's goal accomplishment style.  This data is being used to develop individually tailored plans to prepare each student for the world of work or higher education.

 

As the fall School-to-Career program commenced at the elementary level, it became apparent that for program success, all staff had to be fully in tune with program structure, procedures and routines.  As a result, considerable time was invested in what we have come to call "capacity building" - empowering staff to empower both mentor-tutors and student participants.
 
Through program development, the goal has been to building the School-to-Career project as a stand-alone program that will be self-sustaining at the end of the COPC technical assistance funding.  A long-range planning process was undertaken, and the staff came up with both short and long term goals for the School-to-Career program including a budget for the next three years.  The proposal that evolved from this work detailed an increase in staff, computer capability and programmatic elements.  A presentation of the plan and budget was made to the R.K. Mellon Foundation in late November.  A second presentation to the R.K. Mellon Foundation and other local foundations was made in December.
 

Part II - Summary of Major Activities (Progress on Tasks)

Activity 5.1: Children’s Literacy (Pitt Project TUTOR)

·        25 students identified as needing assistance in reading and mathematics were given 9 weeks of individual help for at least two hours per week.

·        Students expressed interest in reading and math activities through their pleasure of receiving their own personal copies to books they could share with their families.

·        Staff received training and expressed interest in additional training.

·        Pitt Project TUTOR collaborated with the Urban Studies Project in training and         tutoring of the 25 children.

·        One staff member received adult literacy assistance at the request of the staff director--much additional assistance is needed.

·        Individual children report improved classroom performance.

·        Volunteer tutors report that they like participating in the Project because it helps to prepare them for study in teacher education and learning how to work with children.

·        Staff at the tutoring site report that the Project has helped to create a working         relationship (and trust) among counselors, tutors, children, and tutor coordinators.

 

Activity 5.2: School-to-Career and Youth Programming in West Oakland

·        Completion of the School-to-Career Handbook for Parents (elementary level).

·        Emergence of a capacity-building program for the staff of the New Beginnings Learning Center.

·        Work in progress:  Development of individually tailored plans for students at the middle and high school levels. 
·        The partnership with COPC assisted the New Beginnings School-to-Career program in leveraging support from several foundations for a total of $325,000 over the next two years.

Project Focus 6: Health and Wellness

Part I - Summary and Synthesis

UPMC Health System’s Department of Community Initiatives collaborated with the two community health partnerships, HI HOPE  (Hazelwood Initiative) and HOP (Healthy Oakland People), located in the COPC service area.  The goals over the past six months included:

 

1.      Obtain official SHIP recognition from the PA Department of Health for each community health partnership

2.      Begin to administer community health programs

3.      Establish priorities for intervention programs

4.      Measure outcomes of these intervention programs

5.      Engage University of Pittsburgh students and faculty in the work of the Health and Wellness component of the COPC

 

Activity  6.1:

·        Both HI HOPE and HOP received official State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) recognition from the PA Department of Health in October 2001.  This recognition will enable both partnerships to apply for state health grants available only to SHIP partnerships. .

 

Activity 6.2:

·        HI HOPE opened an outreach office on Second Avenue in Hazelwood with the help of a grant from the PA Department of Health.  The outreach office staff includes a project director, a community nurse, and two community health advocates.  The nurse focuses her efforts on health programs for senior citizens (example: stress reduction classes, flu shots for shut-ins) and youth (examples: hygiene classes in the middle schools, conflict management classes, nutrition classes).  The community health advocates work with community members on numerous health-related issues such as access to prescription drugs for those who cannot afford it and treatment and follow-up care for people with chronic illnesses (diabetes, cancer, asthma, etc.).

 

·        HI HOPE was asked to present their program at the 2001 Neighborhood Physicians and Practitioners Forum’s (NPPF) Fall Conference on December 7th.  Dr. Dan Lincoln, a member of HI HOPE and the NPPF, represented the partnership in addition to Patty Sterns, the project director, and Crystal Hall, the chair of HI HOPE.  Representatives from the Allegheny County Health Department and the PA Department of Health also sat on the panel.  The goal of the presentation was to inform other communities in Allegheny County of the benefits of developing community health partnerships and describe the process of becoming a SHIP partnership.  Over forty conference participants attended the session.

 

 

·        HOP has elected community leadership and officers to represent the organization. Henrietta Wilson, a life long resident of South Oakland, was elected the president. Darryl Daughtry, Interim Director of Hill-Oakland Workforce Collaborative and a resident of West Oakland will serve as vice-president. Maureen Cook, Executive Director of Peoples Oakland and a resident of Central Oakland, was elected secretary of HOP. One of the first actions initiated by the community leadership was the development of a HOP Newsletter to the Oakland Communities. The purpose of the newsletter is to increase the awareness of health and education programs available to the community.  Over 3,000 copies of the November /December Inaugural issue of the newsletter was distributed within the Oakland Communities. Each monthly newsletter will profile a HOP community partner organization and other health promotion and job opportunities Oakland residents. George Berkley of Matilda Theiss Health Center is the editor of the HOP newsletter.

 

·        HOP is working collaborative with UPMC Department of Community Initiatives to develop an after-school health and fitness program at Milliones Middle School. In addition to the after school program a Health Achievers Club has been organized to provide middle school students with certification in Basic CPR, First Aid Training and Safe Baby -Sitting Classes. Every two weeks students in the Health Achievers Club visit UPMC hospitals and medical facilities to explore and learn about health career choices.

 

·        HOP also developed a community advisory group to work with Matilda Theiss Health Center in efforts to increase access of dental service to many youth and underinsured resident in the Oakland communities. Matilda Theiss Health Center received a $125,000 two-year grant from the Department of Public Welfare to re-institute dental services offered to the Oakland residents.

 

Activity 6.3:

 

·        HI HOPE identified the following issues as priorities for the next year:

o       Development of a Family Support Center

o       Continued development of health prevention education for youth

o       Continued development of senior citizen health education programs

o       Access to prescription medications for community members in need of assistance

o       Provision of community health outreach for community members diagnosed with chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and asthma.

 

·        HOP identified the following three major community health priorities to address in the first year.

1.      Increase education and awareness to the healthcare services available to residents in Oakland communities.

2.      Increase access to mental health services.

3.      Develop quality after school, recreation program and job opportunities for adults and youth.

 

·        HOP has already engaged and formed one work group within the Oakland Health Partnership committee to work with UPMC staff, faculty and students in the health professions schools at the University of Pittsburgh to focus on increasing community awareness of health prevention and promotions services available. The group initiative is being lead by Henrietta Wilson, President of the Oakland Health Partnership.

 

·        A second work group has been organized to facilitate and link resources to recruit and prepare student workers from the Oakland community. Darryl Daughtry, a representative from the Hill-Oakland Workforce, is coordinating this group effort. Programs developed with Milliones Middle School are a part of this long-term workforce development strategy.

 

·        As the partnership move from the planning to an operational stage of development community partner will work more closely to link resources, share responsibility and be accountable to identify funding opportunities to meeting priorities of the HOP.  The Department of Health approval of a State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) status for the Oakland Health Partnership will be the driver to bring together community partners and resource coordination at address all the health issues identified by the community.

 

Activity 6.4:

·        HI HOPE is utilizing the Outcomes Toolkit, a web-based software program, to track outcomes for community programs.  Suzanne Sakson, Communications Manager for the Department of Community Initiatives at UPMC Health System, is providing training and expertise on the program.  The Toolkit’s report format is similar to a grant application.  Therefore, it is helpful when attempting to bring in future funding.

 

Activity 6.5:

·        Dr. Ken Thompson, associate professor of psychiatry, has been actively involved in the COPC efforts as the faculty director of the Health and Wellness component of the COPC.  Dr. Dan Lincoln, assistant professor of family practice, has also been very involved with the COPC and HI HOPE projects.  Dr. Thuy Bui, Program for Health Care for Underserved Populations, and Dr. Rick Rubin, research instructor for the Department of General Academic Pediatrics, participate in the HOP community health partnership.  Future plans include meetings with the deans of the schools of nursing, public health, medical school and the vice chancellor of the university with the goal of increasing faculty awareness and involvement in the COPC.

 

·        Three University of Pittsburgh graduate students with the Bridging the Gaps program completed summer internships working with the COPC neighborhoods of the Hill District and Glen Hazel.  Funding was provided through the COPC Grant and the Chancellor’s match funds. 

o       Julie Aaron, School of Pharmacy, worked on a project entitled, “Oodles of Nutrients”.at the Centre Avenue YMCA located in the Hill District. The project focused on assessing the nutritional deficiencies of residents of the YMCA and members of the surrounding community.  The project involved surveying target groups to determine general trends in eating habits.  Diets were found to be high in sodium and deficient in fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.  Based on these findings, information packets were compiled to educate residents about balanced diets, the importance of eating right, and affordable access to food.  In addition, packets were sent to other health/social service sites to promote good nutrition.

o       Mary Hurm, School of Social Work, and Stephen Klinger, School of Public Health, developed a project entitled, “Physical Health Promotions: Self-guided Fitness Programs in Glen Hazel.”The community site was the Glen Hazel Recreation Center operated by the Housing Authority, City of Pittsburgh. Stephen and Mary mentored the children who attended the Glen Hazel Community Recreation Center.  They facilitated numerous physical fitness activities as well as chaperoned community field trips.  Other responsibilities included working with the children in the center’s library and attending Little League Baseball games.  They became aware that although the children’s fitness needs were being addressed; the physical fitness needs of adults in the Glen Hazel community were not.  After consultation with the community they devised a self-guided fitness book that can be used in the center’s new fitness room.  The book focuses on three major fitness areas: weight loss, strength training and cardiovascular health, as well as including a section on free weights (one section for males and one section for females).

 

Part II - Summary of Major Activities (Progress on Tasks)

·        The two community health partnerships located in the COPC service area, HI HOPE & HOP, were both officially recognized by the PA Department of Health as SHIP (State Health Improvement Plan) partnerships.

·        HI HOPE opened community outreach office in Hazelwood.

·        HOP has elected community leadership and officers to represent the organization.

·        HOP developed a community newsletter that will reach over 3,000 residents in the Oakland Communities.

·        Matilda Theiss Health Center received a $125,000 two-year grant from the Department of Public Welfare to re-institute dental services offered to the Oakland residents.

·        Three University of Pittsburgh graduate students with the Bridging the Gaps program completed summer internships working with the COPC neighborhoods of the Hill District and Glen Hazel.  Funding was provided through the COPC Grant.