Rockland County will soon have a new commissioner of social services. Patrick Frawley, who had recently served as chief assistant district attorney in the Rockland District Attorney’s office, will take over as head of Department of Social Services on June 30.
DSS Commissioner Joan Silvestri is retiring, the Rockland County Executive’s office announced June 17. Silvestri had led DSS since 2017 and was the county’s commissioner of personnel before that.
Who is Pat Frawley?
In the Rockland DA’s office, Frawley oversaw more than 90 assistant district attorneys, criminal investigators and professional staff across multiple divisions.
Frawley, who was a school resource officer and community police officer with the Orangetown Police Department, is an attorney who previously was in private practice.
“Patrick Frawley has dedicated his career to serving the people of Rockland County, and I am confident that his deep understanding of our community, extensive legal expertise, and proven leadership experience make him exceptionally qualified to lead the Department of Social Services,” Rockland County Executive Ed Day said in a statement.
What does DSS do in Rockland County?
DSS provides a range of services to Rocklanders, including administration of key state and federal programs on the local level.
Those include managing enrollment in Medicaid and the federal Supplemental Nutrition Program called SNAP; helping people access child care assistance benefits, housing and rental assistance; and foster care/adoption and adult services.
Frawley will be paid $224,680 annually as DSS commissioner. His appointment was unanimously confirmed by the Rockland County Legislature on June 16.
Nancy Cutler covers People & Policy. Reach her at ncutler@lohud.com; follow her on X, Bluesky and Instagram at @nancyrockland.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rockland County names new Department of Social Services commissioner
Reporting by Nancy Cutler, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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By Nancy Cutler, Rockland/Westchester Journal News | USA TODAY Network
