Sally Ho | Associated Press

Lauren Hackney feeds her 1-year-old daughter chicken and macaroni during a supervised visit at their apartment in Oakdale, Pa., on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022. Lauren and her husband, Andrew, wonder if their daughter’s own disability may have been misunderstood in the child welfare system. The girl was recently diagnosed with a disorder that can make it challenging for her to process her sense of taste, which they now believe likely contributed to her eating issues all along.

Here's how an AI tool may flag parents with disabilities

As part of a yearlong investigation, The Associated Press obtained the data points underpinning several algorithms deployed by child welfare agencies to understand how they predict which children could be at risk of harm. They offer rare insight into the mechanics driving these emerging technologies.

FILE - A sign marks an entrance to the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building in Washington, Monday, Jan. 23, 2023.

Politics & Government

Child welfare algorithm used by Allegheny County DHS faces Justice Department scrutiny

Sally Ho | Associated Press

The controversial artificial intelligence Allegheny Family Screening Tool has raised concerns that it could result in discrimination against families with disabilities.

The Family Law Center in Pittsburgh is seen on Wednesday, March 16, 2022. Around the country, as child welfare agencies use or consider algorithmic tools like in Allegheny County, an Associated Press review has identified a number of concerns about the technology, including questions about its reliability and its potential to harden racial disparities in the child welfare system.

Politics & Government

An algorithm that screens for child neglect in Allegheny County raises concerns

Sally Ho | Associated Press

Child welfare officials in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, the cradle of Mister Rogers’ TV neighborhood and the icon’s child-centric innovations, are using an algorithm to support agency workers as they make decisions meant to protect children from neglect. The AP identified several concerns about the technology, including questions about its reliability and its potential to harden racial disparities in the child welfare system.