New Commissioner to Oversee Changes to Children's Services

WNYC News | Jul 12, 2010

New York, NY —

A former Deputy Commissioner from the Administration for Children's Services will oversee sweeping new changes the city is implementing to better deal with child abuse cases.

REPORTER: Mayor Bloomberg appointed Jennifer Jones Austin today to the newly created position of Family Services Coordinator. She will be responsible for making sure ACS, police, and the Department of Education are working together and sharing information on children at risk.

The job along with the new plans are in response to the high profile beating death of 7-year-old Nixzmary Brown. Mayor bloomberg says the previous way the city handled abuse cases was just not working well enough.

BLOOMBERG: I've never been embarrassed to say we tried something and it did not work, let's try something different.

REPORTER: Bloomberg also appointed a new Department of Homeless Services Commissioner today. Robert Hess comes to DHS from the Department of Adult Services in Philadelphia where he is credited with reducing street homelessness by 60 percent.

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