For Erin Dalton, director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS), the path to public service began with a quiet, persistent interest in government and justice, nurtured over time by experiences both personal and professional.
“I’ve always been interested in public service and government,” she said. “I don’t quite know why. Maybe it’s little things—I share a birthday with Martin Luther King, Jr.—and while I don’t think that makes me him, it does make you reflect early on about lives spent in service to others.”
Raised by parents who worked outside the public sector but placed immense value on being informed, Dalton grew up with a keen awareness of civic life and its importance. That awareness matured into action during her time at American University, where she studied public policy and international relations and took full advantage of the vibrant civic environment of Washington, DC.
Through internships and early roles in government, she began shaping a career committed to structural change.
After graduation, Dalton joined the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) at the U.S. Department of Justice—a pivotal first job during an era of energetic reform under Attorney General Janet Reno and NIJ Director Jeremy Travis.
“He (Travis) coined terms like ‘offender reentry’ and focused on neighborhood investment,” she recalled. “I wrote speeches, worked on violence prevention, contributed to the President’s budget—it was a rare opportunity, especially just out of undergrad.”
Her national-level work for RAND Corporation, Arnold Ventures, Bloomberg Associates, and the Obama Foundation further broadened her perspective on what government can accomplish for individuals, families, and communities.
Yet, despite a strong start at the federal level, Dalton felt a pull toward local work—where policy met the lived reality of communities. That led her to Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy to pursue a master’s degree in public policy and management, and eventually to Allegheny County, where a partnership with then-DHS Director Marc Cherna catalyzed her career in local human services.
DHS serves over 200,000 people each year through its community-based programs that prevent harm and address needs for family support and child development, senior services, housing, and protection from maltreatment.
Cherna, a visionary in integrating data systems across human services, brought Dalton into DHS to lead its analytics work. It was a time of innovation, as DHS expanded its use of data to directly improve services.
“Marc wasn’t a data guy, but he listened,” Dalton said. “When people told him, ‘Why do I have to tell my story 10 times?’ or ‘Why don’t you know I was in the ER last week?’—he took that seriously.”
Allegheny County has become a national leader in using data to inform and improve human services while simultaneously promoting transparency. Through its extensive Data Warehouse, established in 1999, the county has developed tools that predict adverse outcomes and proactively support those most at risk.
Housing has benefited from the county’s data-informed approach. The Allegheny Housing Assessment (AHA) was developed as an alternative to traditional housing prioritization tools. By drawing on administrative data rather than requiring invasive interviews, the AHA predicts which individuals face the greatest harm if they remain unhoused—such as increased risk of hospitalization or incarceration—ensuring that the most vulnerable receive timely support.
Data also inform proactive outreach, tailored case management, and efficient resource distribution across services, including crisis prevention, violence reduction, and family support. The county’s Data Warehouse also fosters community trust and accountability through its commitment to public transparency by making data and evaluations publicly accessible.
“We have integrated data, and residents can actually access their own records,” Dalton explained. “No other place I know does that.”
The data’s accessibility also assists providers in more impactful care coordination, while researchers and the public can explore data that shapes real policy decisions.
“We track a range of objective indicators—things like emergency room visits, risk of homelessness, and involuntary commitments,” said Dalton. “Our goal is to reduce those system touchpoints, so if we provide housing or treatment, we look at whether those interventions are keeping people stable and out of crisis.”
But numbers only tell part of the story.
DHS prioritizes the lived experiences of those they serve, sending thousands of text messages each month to gather real-time feedback and measure more abstract outcomes such as improved lives, reduced harm, and equitable access to care.
Dalton credits her early work in Pittsburgh’s One Vision One Life program—an outreach effort engaging current and former gang members—with shaping her commitment to inclusive systems change.
“That’s where I learned the value of lived experience. People on the ground often know what data alone can’t tell you,” Dalton said. “It matters to us what people say about the services we fund—how they feel about them.”
Among the department’s most significant achievements, Dalton pointed to a more informed and coordinated response to homelessness across the county—especially in the wake of the pandemic, which intensified the housing crisis.
“Homelessness isn't one thing. Encampments, shelters, street outreach—all require different strategies,” Dalton explained. “We’ve made progress in both understanding and action, including the 500 in 500 Initiative to house more individuals.”
This cross-sector ethos extends across the lifespan. For youth, DHS collaborates with schools, funds $14 million in out-of-school programs, and supports early intervention and family resources through 20+ family support centers. These centers, driven by community members, help connect families to services before crises arise.
Older adults face a different set of challenges—but often intersect with the same systems. Dalton noted the county has seen significant increases in older adults experiencing homelessness; however, because services are integrated at DHS, they can be quickly connected to someone at aging services to assess available services.
Behavioral health, another longstanding challenge, has seen targeted innovation.
The workforce, which struggled to meet the county’s needs long before COVID, found success in collaboration and strong partnerships with the region’s strong philanthropic sector. The BH Fellows program, a collaboration with the Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF) and Community Care Behavioral Health, which offers loan repayments, professional development, and peer support to new professionals, is one of the county’s most valued collaborations, Dalton said.
"Karen Feinstein is a thought leader, an inspiration—someone who’s always trying to see ahead," said Dalton. "The international study visits she organizes aren’t just fun trips—they’re real learning opportunities. And they come back ready to put those ideas into action."
The Foundation’s role as an operating foundation, unlike many traditional funders, means they don’t just write checks, they run programs, absorb complex issues, and bring ideas to the table. Dalton said this made JHF a natural partner in efforts like BH Fellows, which was launched to strengthen the behavioral health workforce through creative financing and targeted support.
In parallel, DHS invested $6 million in informal mental health supports using American Rescue Plan Act funds, backing grassroots solutions like LGBTQ-friendly wellness spaces and community-based organizations that serve underserved populations. Dalton noted, “When traditional services aren’t accessible, informal supports help get people connected. They were especially a lifeline coming out of the pandemic.”
Looking to the future considering the current political climate, resource scarcity looms large.
“We’re facing increased need alongside shrinking public budgets. That’s a very different challenge from a typical recession, when government usually expands,” Dalton said. “We’ll need to get even better at using data to proactively reach the most vulnerable.”
But Dalton is quick to note that constraints can also spur clarity of mission and perhaps a look to simplify its system to make it better, more accessible, and more impactful.
Outside the office, Dalton continues to push limits; as a triathlete and endurance athlete, she carries the same mindset into her professional life.
“There’s something about testing your limits and being goal-oriented that carries over,” she reflected. “In leadership, as in sport, it’s about persistence, reflection, and showing up.”
This tenacity, combined with her philosophy of integrating data, listening deeply, and staying focused on the goal, has carried Dalton through nearly two decades at DHS and will continue to carry her into the future.
“If you’re in these roles, you should try to do something,” she said. “Play offense. Improve things.”
