February 1966 - December 1967
Mitchell Ginsberg
- Served as Department of Social Services (DSS)
Commissioner when HRA was created in 1966 and the name of the Department
of Welfare was changed to the Department of Social Services. At that
time, Mitchell Sviridoff was appointed Administrator of HRA.
- Later, Ginsberg was appointed HRA Administrator
in 1967 after serving as DSS Commissioner.
- The Work Incentive (WIN) Program of 1967 was authorized under the Social Security Act and administered jointly by employment services and local welfare agencies.
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1966 - HRA IS CREATED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER BY MAYOR JOHN LINDSAY
December, 1966 - December, 1967
Mitchell Sviridoff
1967 - Mitchell Ginsberg, Administrator (December 1967 - July 1970)
- Returned to the NYC Human Resources Administration as HRA Administrator.
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February, 1968 - December, 1970
Jack Golberg
July 1970 - January 1974
Jule M. Sugarman
- In 1970, Sugarman was the first individual to serve as both HRA Administrator and DSS Commissioner once the two positions had merged.
- Implemented a significant reorganization plan based on joint recommendation of the agency and the Economic Development Council of NYC, Inc.
- On June 30, 1972, as HRA Administrator/DSS Commissioner and as Chairman of the Interagency Council, Sugarman addressed an audience of over 200 top-level HRA staff with an address known as the "Andover Speech," which became the basis for a great deal of discussion among the private and public social service leadership of the City.
- Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) of 1973 created initiatives to support public and private job training. Resulted in national appropriation of $11 billion by 1979.
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January 1974 - January 1976
James R. Dumpson
- Returned to the NYC Human Resources Administration as both HRA Administrator and DSS Commissioner.
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March, 1976 - January, 1978
Henry J. Smith
1978 - FIRST WOMAN APPOINTED
COMMISSIONER/ADMINISTRATOR
January, 1978 - May, 1979
Blanche Bernstein
- Was the first woman appointed HRA Administrator/DSS Commissioner.
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May, 1979 - March, 1981
Stanley Brezenoff
March, 1981 - September, 1984
James A. Krauskopf
- Piloted a new program known as CASA, the Community Alternative System Agency, which was developed to act as a gatekeeper to the long-term care system while also assisting in case management by matching clients' needs to the appropriate services.
- The Restricted Recipient Program of 1983 curbed the inappropriate use of medical and/or pharmaceutical services by certain Medicaid recipients who demonstrated inappropriately high utilization. Resulted in savings of over $2 million gross that year.
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1981 - AIDS CRISIS STRIKES
October, 1984 - June, 1986
George Gross
- Established the HRA Division of Income Assistance, Family and Children's Services, and Adult Services.
- Established 44 field offices for the Family and Children's Services Agency from district offices.
- Established five multi-service centers inside five selected community districts (one per borough).
- Established an independent Department of Employment.
- Established a unit to provide services to persons with AIDS in 1985. In 1995 it became the Division of AIDS Services Income Support (DASIS) and in 2000, the name was changed to HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA).
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June, 1986 - December, 1986
Harvey Robbins (Acting)
December, 1986 - November, 1989
William Grinker
- Initiated the Teamwork for Families program, which coordinated interagency support services to families residing in temporary shelters.
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November, 1989 - April, 1990
Doby Flowers (Acting)
April, 1990 - December, 1993
Barbara J. Sabol
- Implemented the BEGIN: Begin Employment Gain Independence Now program in May of 1990, which was created to help parents in need of literacy skills or job training enter the workforce.
- Gained national recognition for "going underground" as a welfare recipient to experience the system she administered from the client's point of view.
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January, 1994 - February, 1997
Marva L. Hammons
- The most significant change in federal welfare law was enacted within her tenure. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) was passed in 1996.
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1996 - PASSAGE OF FEDERAL WELFARE REFORM
February, 1997 - December, 1997
Lilliam Barrios-Paoli
January, 1998 - December, 2001
Jason Turner
- During this time, Welfare Reform Part One was implemented. One response to the "work first" philosophy was converting the Income Support centers to Job Centers.
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2006 - WELFARE CASELOAD HITS LOWEST SINCE 1964, TWO YEARS BEFORE HRA WAS CREATED
January, 2002 - January, 2007
Verna Eggelston
- New York City's cash assistance recipients have been reduced to fewer than 395,000, their lowest level since 1964. At the same time as cash assistance recipients have declined, the number of families who are not on welfare and are helped by receiving food stamps has increased by 110%; public health insurance enrollment has increased to more than 2.5 million recipients; and child support has increased steadily.
- WeCARE program was developed. WeCARE is the first program in the nation to address the complex physical and mental health barriers to self-sufficiency of long term cash assistance recipients with a comprehensive clinically based treatment plan.
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February, 2007 - Present
Robert Doar
*M. Sviridoff served as HRA Administrator & M. Ginsberg served as Department of Social Services Commissioner. Both positions were later merged beginning with Jule M. Sugarman.
History of Welfare
HRA Milestones
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