Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel announced the new department will be known as the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services.

He also formally announced his appointment of Carmelo Hernandez as the new department’s director.

Wendel said in a statement, “This integrated department will provide enhanced services and treatment opportunities to county residents while preventing residents from slipping through the cracks when dealing with multiple county agencies. ”

Hernandez began his position as Director of Community Mental Hygiene Services on September 7, 2021 filling the vacancy left by former director Pat Brinkman, who retired in April of 2021.

Prior to being hired by Chautauqua County, Hernandez previously served as a lead therapist at Alssaro Counseling Services in New Rochelle and a mental health consultant at WestCOP in Westchester.

He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership at Mercy College and holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from New York University.

Chautauqua County

The five social services divisions of Department of Health and Human Services, including the divisions of Family and Children’s Services, and Transitional and Medical Assistance, will integrate with the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene to form the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services.

In addition, the Division of Health will once again be a stand-alone department as the Chautauqua County Department of Health. It will include all County public health and disease prevention programs, Environmental Health Services, Coroners, and providing medical services to the County Jail and County Emergency Services.

Wendel said, “Many individuals and families often receive services from multiple areas of County Government and this restructuring will better integrate our mental hygiene and social services so that we are working on a united front to provide timely, accessible and quality care to County residents as we maximize our partnerships and improve community support systems.”

The changes, which are subject to the review by the Chautauqua County Legislature and New York State, are desired to take effect in early 2023.

Wendel also announced new leadership for these departments once the reorganization changes go into effect. Carmelo Hernandez will serve as Director of the Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services and Dr. Michael Faulk will serve as Chautauqua County’s Chief Medical Officer and head of the Department of Health.

PJ Wendel

The Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene will be merging with the County Department of Social Services.

Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel, speaking with WRFA in his monthly interview, said New York State has no consistent model for how departments should be organized or merged.

He said the merger that Chautauqua County will do is similar to what has been done in Chemung and Orange Counties, “What it’s going to be are stand alone departments, if you will. Social Services is going to continue as Social Services. Jon Anderson is the Deputy Director right now and Leanna Luka-Conley. So for the people across the street at SCOB (South County Office Building), it’s just going to be the same reporting structure. There’s a few high level executive people that’ll have a different reporting structure that will report to Jon and Carmelo Hernandez. Mental Hygiene is going to stay where it is.”

Wendel said the idea behind the merger is to create a “one-stop shop” for residents, “Because many of those residents, not all, but many of them are receiving services from both our mental hygiene department and social services. Now, again, that’s not always the case, but many times we’ve found that there are cases where the two departments overlap. And we felt what better way to make sure that we don’t have anybody slipping through the cracks and that we are doing the most we can for our residents to provide effective, efficient services.”

Wendel added that currently, when it comes to Mental Hygiene and Social Services, there is client information that can’t be shared and with merging the two departments, waivers can be signed to make that sharing possible.

Hear the full interview with County Executive PJ Wendel on this topic and more on this week’s Community Matters at 5:00 p.m., Thursday, November 24th on 107.9 WRFA-LP.

WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley speaks with Director of Chautauqua County Mental Hygiene Services, Carmelo Hernandez, who just started in that new position at the beginning of September.

Hernandez began his position on September 7th. He fills the vacancy left by former director Pat Brinkman, who retired in April 2021.

Hernandez previously served as a lead therapist at Alssaro Counseling Services in New Rochelle, New York; and a mental health consultant at WestCOP in Westchester. Prior to that, he served as a program manager for Wediko Children’s Services and a combat stress recovery specialist for the Wounded Warrior Project.

Hernandez earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from New York University in New York. He is also a certified Licensed Master Social Worker. Hernandez currently resides in Westfield.