PA Allegheny AFST
Allegheny County, PA — Allegheny Family Screening Tool (AFST) Operational Policy
Allegheny County, PA · Allegheny County DHS AFST Methodology (May 2019 update)
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- August 1, 2016
- Applies to
- Allegheny County DHS staff and contractors
- Enforced by
- Allegheny County DHS; DOJ Civil Rights Division (ADA Title II investigation pending)
Allegheny County deploys a predictive risk model — the Allegheny Family Screening Tool — to score child-welfare hotline calls. Decisions to screen-in cases for investigation incorporate AFST scores. The DOJ has investigated the tool for ADA discrimination concerns; the county continues to operate it with documented protocols.
Who is protected: Families subject to Allegheny County child welfare hotline screening
Legal detail
Allegheny County Department of Human Services Operational Protocols for the Allegheny Family Screening Tool (deployed Aug. 2016). DOJ Civil Rights Division investigation under Title II ADA opened Nov. 2024 (DJ #204-69-0); county denies discriminatory intent. Successor tool (Hello Baby) deployed 2020 for prenatal/birth families.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Allegheny County, PA |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Limited |
| Enacted | August 1, 2016 |
| Citation | Allegheny County DHS AFST Methodology (May 2019 update) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | DOJ Title II ADA settlements; county-level program reforms |
| Topics | children's online safety · automated decision-making · government use of AI · consumer protection |
| Agency page | Developing Predictive Risk Models to Support Child Maltreatment Hotline Screening Decisions (Allegheny County) |
Related children's online safety rules elsewhere
- PA v. Character.AI (Fake Psychiatrist Chatbot) · Blocked / in litigation
- RI AI Companion Self-Harm Safety (2026) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act) (H.R. 7757) · Proposed / pending
- Oregon SB 1546 (AI companion chatbot disclosure + private right of action) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- xAI v. Harwood (Grok NCII Counter-Suit 2026) · Blocked / in litigation
- Blanchester OH schools AI policy EDEC (Jun. 29, 2026) · In effect
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