Gladys Carrión
[City Hall]
Mayor-Elect Bill de Blasio has appointed Gladys Carrión as Commissioner at the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS).
De Blasio, who has been involved in reforming New York City’s child welfare system, charged Carrión with prioritizing preventive services to protect vulnerable children and help families avoid crisis.
Born and raised in the South Bronx, Carrión has built a strong reputation as a reformer focused on improving outcomes for some of the most at-risk families in our state. She began her career at Bronx Legal Services representing families in the nation’s poorest congressional district. In the early 1990s, Carrión was on the front lines of tackling poverty as Commissioner of New York City’s Community Development Agency, and later headed Inwood House and the United Way’s community investment initiatives.
Most recently, as Governor Cuomo’s Commissioner of the Office of Family Services, Carrión overhauled a broken juvenile justice system to reduce recidivism, encourage rehabilitation and keep youth closer to their families and communities. The reforms significantly reduced costs and increased services for disenfranchised youth, leading to better outcomes.
“There is no responsibility more sacred than protecting the lives of children. Gladys Carrión knows just how high the stakes are in this work,” de Blasio said. “She has been a conscience both inside and outside of government, one who stands up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. We are driven by the same fundamental belief that we cannot leave a single family or child behind.”
“For seven years, Gladys Carrión has been a valued leader in State government, helping to improve the care of New York’s children and enhancing the quality of life for our families,” Governor Cuomo said.
“As Commissioner of the Office of Children and Family Services, she led major child welfare and juvenile justice programs that have made a significant and lasting impact on communities statewide. I look forward to partnering with her in her new role in Mayor-Elect Bill de Blasio’s administration and I am confident she will serve the City of New York with integrity and dedication.”
“We are going to approach this mission with compassion, purpose and an unwavering commitment to protect the most vulnerable among us,” Carrión said. “It has been a privilege to work for Governor Andrew Cuomo, and we are proud of what we accomplished at OCFS during my time in Albany. Now I am proud to join Mayor-Elect de Blasio’s team in New York City fighting for vulnerable children and families.”
