{"id":50962,"date":"2023-03-28T06:32:02","date_gmt":"2023-03-28T10:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/?p=50962"},"modified":"2023-03-28T06:32:02","modified_gmt":"2023-03-28T10:32:02","slug":"chautauqua-county-department-of-mental-hygiene-and-social-services-merger-complete","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/chautauqua-county-department-of-mental-hygiene-and-social-services-merger-complete\/","title":{"rendered":"Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services Merger Complete"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The merging of the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene<\/strong> and Division of Social Services<\/strong> has been completed.<\/p>\n

Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel<\/strong> announced the new department will be known as the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

He also formally announced his appointment of Carmelo Hernandez<\/strong> as the new department’s director.<\/p>\n

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. ”<\/p>\n

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

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.<\/p>\n

He earned his Bachelor\u2019s Degree in Social Work and Master\u2019s Degree in Organizational Leadership at Mercy College and holds a Master\u2019s Degree in Social Work from New York University.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 as the new department’s director. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":50965,"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":[10625,3410,12564,406,3309,1802],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Carmelo-Hernandez-PJ-Wendel-feat.jpg?fit=586%2C400&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3YlJ4-dfY","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":48593,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/chautauqua-county-mental-hygiene-and-dss-to-merge-health-dept-to-be-standalone-department\/","url_meta":{"origin":50962,"position":0},"title":"Chautauqua County Mental Hygiene and DSS to Merge, Health Dept. to Be Standalone Department","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"December 8, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel has announced more details about the reorganization of County'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\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Local News"","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\/2011\/12\/chautauqua-county-seal-2006.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":39936,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/county-executive-wendel-appoints-carmelo-hernandez-as-new-mental-hygiene-director\/","url_meta":{"origin":50962,"position":1},"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 "Local News"","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":48264,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/chautauqua-county-dept-of-mental-hygiene-dss-to-merge\/","url_meta":{"origin":50962,"position":2},"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 "Local News"","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":48925,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/listen-community-matters-pj-wendel-december-22-2022\/","url_meta":{"origin":50962,"position":3},"title":"[LISTEN] Community Matters – PJ Wendel – 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 "Audio"","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":54273,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/listen-community-matters-carmelo-hernandez-september-7-2023\/","url_meta":{"origin":50962,"position":4},"title":"[LISTEN] Community Matters – Carmelo Hernandez – September 7, 2023","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"September 8, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"We talk to Chautauqua County's Director of Mental Hygiene and Social Services Carmelo Hernandez about emergency housing and how the county is handling issues that have been raised by Falconer residents.","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","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\/2023\/09\/image003-1.jpg?fit=624%2C351&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image003-1.jpg?fit=624%2C351&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image003-1.jpg?fit=624%2C351&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":50962,"position":5},"title":"Chautauqua County Executive Wendel: County is On ‘The Precipice of Greatness’","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 "Local News"","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":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50962"}],"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=50962"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50962\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50966,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50962\/revisions\/50966"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50965"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50962"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50962"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}