DHS Local Government Case Competition

If you are interested in a career in the public sector, the annual DHS Local Government Case Competition is an intellectually challenging way to explore your opportunities. Teams from some of the top public policy, social work, business and law programs in the region have been participating in case competitions at DHS since 2007. In addition to networking with peers, students get an in-depth look at the Allegheny County Department of Human Services and have a chance to interact with some of the foremost leaders in local government, private foundations and in the academic community in Pittsburgh. 

2012 Allegheny County DHS Local Government Case Competition:Addressing Suburban Poverty and Those Affected by It
Katie Meehan Arvay and Evelyn Whitehill
April 2013
Forty-six graduate students from three local universities and eight programs of study participated in the sixth annual competition sponsored by the Allegheny County Department of Human Services and supported by the Human Services Integration Fund. Designed to engage graduate students from local universities in identifying creative solutions to difficult social problems, this year’s challenge was to respond to a Request for Proposals addressing the issue of suburban poverty and those affected by it. Participants were encouraged to address at least one of the following challenges faced by those living in poverty in the suburbs: isolation; limited ability to access services; lack of knowledge about resources; fragmented or disconnected service continuum; issues of stigma around poverty; and limited transportation options. Four winning teams were selected on the basis of presentation, content and scope. This report summarizes the winning presentations as well as the key ideas generated during the competition.

Case Competition Details

Students are grouped into interdisciplinary teams and are tasked with solving a real-world problem related to human services delivery. Teams receive the case and must analyze it and be prepared to present to a panel of distinguished judges in less than 48 hours. First-round finalists are announced that afternoon and winners are awarded cash prizes (courtesy of the Human Services Integration Fund) of up to $3,000 after final presentations that day.

Specific information about the case competition time commitment, judging criteria and a sample schedule of events can be found in the  Local Government Case Competition brochure.  

Past challenges have to asked students to:

• Respond to a Request for Proposals to address suburban poverty and improve the lives of those affected by it. (2012)
• Develop a strategic plan that DHS could employ to improve the experiences of individuals living with serious mental illness. (2011)
• Devise a plan that would narrow the acedemic achievement gap for students involved in DHS and raise the bar for all students enrolled in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. (2010)
• Develop a strategic plan for a new non-profit organization called the Homewood Children’s Village. (2009)
• Position DHS as leader in the environmental sustainability movement. (2008)
• Imagine what DHS and human services delivery might look like in 20 years. (2007)

2012 Winning Presentations

 First Place Presentation
 Second Place Presentation 
 Third Place Presentation 
 Fourth Place Presentation

2011 Winning Presentations

 First Place Presentation
 Second Place Presentation 
 Third Place Presentation
 Fourth Place Presentation  

2010 Winning Presentations

 First Place Presentation 
 Second Place Presentation 
 Third Place Presentation 
 Fourth Place Presentation  

DHS competition elicits ideas from graduate students to improve education outcomes 
Press Release, Nov. 17, 2010

Duquesne Graduate Students Place in Government Case Competition 
Duquesne University Newsroom, Nov. 24, 2010

2009 Winning Presentations

 First Place Presentation 
 Second Place Presentation 
 Third Place Presentation 
 Fourth Place Presentation

Case Competition Summary Reports

Each year, DHS solicits feedback from students and judges and we use that input to continue to improve the experience for future case competition participants. That feedback and other case competition details are included in reports about the past competitions.

 2011 Allegheny County DHS Local Government Case Competition: Reducing Stigma among Individuals with Serious Mental Illness
 Pittsburgh Public Schools and the Pathways to the Promise: The 2010 Local Government Case Competition 
 Building the Homewood Children's Village: The 2009 Local Government Case Competition 
 Greening DHS: The 2008 Local Government Case Competition
 The Future of DHS: The 2007 Local Government Case Competition 
 
For more information, contact:

Katie Meehan Arvay at Katie.Meehan@AlleghenyCounty.us