{"id":48593,"date":"2022-12-08T06:34:25","date_gmt":"2022-12-08T11:34:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/?p=48593"},"modified":"2022-12-08T06:34:25","modified_gmt":"2022-12-08T11:34:25","slug":"chautauqua-county-mental-hygiene-and-dss-to-merge-health-dept-to-be-standalone-department","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/chautauqua-county-mental-hygiene-and-dss-to-merge-health-dept-to-be-standalone-department\/","title":{"rendered":"Chautauqua County Mental Hygiene and DSS to Merge, Health Dept. to Be Standalone Department"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/chautauqua-county-seal-2006.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"654\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/legislature-to-consider-2014-budget-tonight\/chautauqua-county-seal-2006\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/chautauqua-county-seal-2006.jpg?fit=887%2C887&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"887,887\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Chautauqua County Seal 2006\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/chautauqua-county-seal-2006.jpg?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/chautauqua-county-seal-2006.jpg?fit=887%2C887&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-654\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/chautauqua-county-seal-2006.jpg?resize=375%2C375&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"375\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/chautauqua-county-seal-2006.jpg?w=887&amp;ssl=1 887w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/chautauqua-county-seal-2006.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/chautauqua-county-seal-2006.jpg?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/chautauqua-county-seal-2006.jpg?resize=90%2C90&amp;ssl=1 90w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a>Chautauqua County<\/strong> Executive <strong>PJ Wendel<\/strong> has announced more details about the reorganization of County&#8217;s three largest human services programs.<\/p>\n<p>The five social services divisions of <strong>Department of Health and Human Services<\/strong>, including the divisions of Family and Children\u2019s Services, and Transitional and Medical Assistance, will integrate with the <strong>Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene<\/strong> to form the <strong>Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, the Division of Health will once again be a stand-alone department as the <strong>Chautauqua County Department of Health<\/strong>. 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.<\/p>\n<p>Wendel said, \u201cMany 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.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The changes, which are subject to the review by the <strong>Chautauqua County Legislature<\/strong> and New York State, are desired to take effect in early 2023.<\/p>\n<p>Wendel also announced new leadership for these departments once the reorganization changes go into effect. <strong>Carmelo Hernandez<\/strong> will serve as Director of the Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services and Dr. <strong>Michael Faulk<\/strong> will serve as Chautauqua County\u2019s Chief Medical Officer and head of the Department of Health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel has announced more details about the reorganization of County&#8217;s three largest human services programs. The five social services divisions of Department of Health and Human Services, including the divisions of Family and Children\u2019s Services, and Transitional and Medical Assistance, will integrate with the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":7543,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[4],"tags":[10625,3314,3410,12564,416,431,9944,1802],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/chautauuqa-county-feature.png?fit=332%2C190&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3YlJ4-cDL","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":50962,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/chautauqua-county-department-of-mental-hygiene-and-social-services-merger-complete\/","url_meta":{"origin":48593,"position":0},"title":"Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services Merger Complete","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"March 28, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The merging of the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene and Division of Social Services has been completed. 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\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Local News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Carmelo-Hernandez-PJ-Wendel-feat.jpg?fit=586%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Carmelo-Hernandez-PJ-Wendel-feat.jpg?fit=586%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Carmelo-Hernandez-PJ-Wendel-feat.jpg?fit=586%2C400&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48264,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/chautauqua-county-dept-of-mental-hygiene-dss-to-merge\/","url_meta":{"origin":48593,"position":1},"title":"Chautauqua County Dept. of Mental Hygiene, DSS to Merge","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"November 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"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\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Local News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Paul-Wendel-Jr-Web.jpg?fit=700%2C509&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Paul-Wendel-Jr-Web.jpg?fit=700%2C509&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Paul-Wendel-Jr-Web.jpg?fit=700%2C509&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Paul-Wendel-Jr-Web.jpg?fit=700%2C509&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39936,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/county-executive-wendel-appoints-carmelo-hernandez-as-new-mental-hygiene-director\/","url_meta":{"origin":48593,"position":2},"title":"County Executive Wendel Appoints Carmelo Hernandez as New Mental Hygiene Director","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"September 9, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel has announced he has appointed Carmelo Hernandez as the new Director of Community Mental Hygiene Services for the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene. Hernandez began his position on September 7th. He fills the vacancy left by former director Pat Brinkman, who retired in April\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Local News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Hernandez-and-Wendel-ft.jpg?fit=693%2C596&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Hernandez-and-Wendel-ft.jpg?fit=693%2C596&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Hernandez-and-Wendel-ft.jpg?fit=693%2C596&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":50905,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/chautauqua-county-executive-wendel-county-is-on-the-precipice-of-greatness\/","url_meta":{"origin":48593,"position":3},"title":"Chautauqua County Executive Wendel: County is On &#8216;The Precipice of Greatness&#8217;","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"March 24, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel said the county is \"on the precipice of greatness\" in his\u00a0 State of the County\u00a0address. Wendel said the 2022 contribution to the general fund balance was $19.4 million, \"This contribution is created in part by holding our teams to fiscally responsible budgets, an increase in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Local News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/PJ-Wendel-2023-SOTC.jpg?fit=718%2C383&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/PJ-Wendel-2023-SOTC.jpg?fit=718%2C383&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/PJ-Wendel-2023-SOTC.jpg?fit=718%2C383&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/PJ-Wendel-2023-SOTC.jpg?fit=718%2C383&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48925,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/listen-community-matters-pj-wendel-december-22-2022\/","url_meta":{"origin":48593,"position":4},"title":"[LISTEN] Community Matters &#8211; PJ Wendel &#8211; December 22, 2022","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"December 23, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel discusses some recent retirements by government officials and staff, as well as sharing more information a planned integration of social services with mental hygiene; and his thoughts on the new scoping plan approved by the NYS Climate Action Council.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Audio&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Paul-Wendel-Jr-Web.jpg?fit=700%2C509&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Paul-Wendel-Jr-Web.jpg?fit=700%2C509&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Paul-Wendel-Jr-Web.jpg?fit=700%2C509&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Paul-Wendel-Jr-Web.jpg?fit=700%2C509&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52811,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/the-county-finance-department-is-reorganizing-to-become-more-streamlined\/","url_meta":{"origin":48593,"position":5},"title":"The County Finance Department Is Reorganizing to Become More Streamlined","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"June 30, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The Chautauqua County Finance Department is going through a reorganization process to become more streamlined. County Executive PJ Wendel said the idea for the reorganization came out of a discussion with former legislator Chuck Nazzaro who worked in Finance at UPMC Chautauqua, \"And one of the things we asked ourselves\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Local News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Paul-Wendel-Jr-Web.jpg?fit=700%2C509&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Paul-Wendel-Jr-Web.jpg?fit=700%2C509&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Paul-Wendel-Jr-Web.jpg?fit=700%2C509&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Paul-Wendel-Jr-Web.jpg?fit=700%2C509&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48593"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48593"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48593\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48594,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48593\/revisions\/48594"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7543"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}