This study will pilot test a school-embedded Point-of-Service (POS) coordination system designed to align medical care, public health, and social service systems for children and families in the historically Black Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The intervention seeks to dismantle systemic racism that manifests as fragmented systems with administrative burdens that routinely delay or deny care for Black families. The proposed school-based POS intervention is designed to shift the administrative burden of cross-system navigation from families to institutions, using the following key components: dedicated and trained school-based care coordination teams, a digital referral and tracking platform shared by health and social service providers, shared school-based workflows used by health and social service providers, and mobile service delivery. This approach is designed to shift institutional responsibility onto service providers, rather than requiring families to initiate and manage connections.

The pilot will be conducted across three schools with approximately 60 kindergarten students and families. Data collection will include pre and post surveys with school staff, platform usage analytics, and qualitative interviews with educators, service providers, and families. The research will assess the model’s feasibility and acceptability, as well as its potential to reduce service delays and increase equity in institutional response.

Principal Investigators: 
Walter Lewis, MS
President and CEO, Homewood Children's Village

Tamara Dubowitz, SM, MSc, ScD
Chair, Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health

Project Details:

Year: 2025
Funding Amount: $200,000
Status: Active