Ciarfella and Molinaro
POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro appointed the county’s first-ever deputy commissioner of Special Needs, the first such county position in the state.
Toni Marie Ciarfella, former Treatment Team Leader for Campus and Community Connections and District Forensic Liaison for the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, with over 30 years of special needs experience, was selected from among 50 plus applicants for the position.
Molinaro said the county was looking for someone who could assist in
its Think Differently campaign, an initiative to encourage the community
to take a new perspective towards individuals of all abilities, and Ciarfella
fit the bill perfectly.
“She brings together the right educational experience, the right professional experience, the right network of support throughout her years of service to this community, and really the right passion and compassion to assist those in Dutchess County, regardless of ability,” he said.
Ciarfella’s responsibilities will consist of identifying the needs and challenges within the special needs community, developing ways to address them, and acting as a liaison between individuals as well as service providers.
Ciarfella is excited to be able to begin initiating change and is ready for the challenges of a newly created office.
“As a social worker by training, I love the idea of creating change in a positive way for people: to improve the quality of people’s lives, to improve their ability to have the kinds of things that you and I enjoy every single day,” Ciarfella said. “I like a challenge. I like to figure out new ways for people to work together, to educate people, to learn about each other. I mean, everybody at a table who wants to create a change has some need… everybody does.
Ciarfella will take office next week. Her first order of business will be conducting a survey with local stakeholders, businesses, residents, and service providers to identify what they believe are the current challenges facing special needs individuals in Dutchess.
