Governor Donald L. Carcieri has chosen Patricia Martinez, his director of community relations, to head the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), replacing Jay Lindgren, who has led the agency for almost 10 years.
To support Martinez’s efforts, Carcieri said he plans to form a task force from the state’s health and human service departments to implement reforms at DCYF. He said his priorities are “issues related to behavioral health,” licensing of foster care homes, and the continued development of the new training school.
Beyond Cash Donations: How New Forms of Giving Are Transforming Not-for-Profit Accounting
Evolving Funding Landscape for Not-for-Profits Not-for-profit organizations are being asked to do more with less,…
Learn More
“Leading this department is an extremely difficult job, and no one can do it alone,” Carcieri said in a news release. “Protecting Rhode Island’s children is bigger than any one state department or any one director. It’s a partnership between the state and the community at large. Ultimately, DCYF’s success depends on its ability to work with the community to achieve a common goal: the safety and well-being of Rhode Island’s children.”
Under Lindgren’s tenure, DCYF has made some gains, but many serious problems have persisted for years – in part, Lindgren has said, because DCYF lacked the resources to properly address them. Carcieri has pushed him to do more with what he had.
“DCYF made some important strides during Jay’s tenure,” the governor said. “Public service is not easy, and Jay deserves our gratitude for his efforts.”
Martinez’s background is in social work and community advocacy. For 12 years, she was executive director of Progreso Latino, an agency in Central Falls that serves immigrant families and their children, providing education and social services and promoting their interests before state and local government.
“I have observed Patricia and her work for several years now, and am confident that she will do a terrific job breathing new life into this important department,” Carcieri said.
“We cannot forget that the work performed at DCYF touches the lives of some of our most vulnerable families in some of our most underserved communities,” he added. “Patricia Martinez understands that. Patricia’s background and experience make her uniquely qualified for this post. Not only does she possess the skills necessary to manage an agency of this size and complexity – she also has a unique ability to work with the community. From her time as a community activist, and as the former director of one of Rhode Island’s most important community organizations, Patricia understands the importance of building partnerships to achieve goals and of building programs to meet the needs of children.”
Martinez has a bachelor’s degree in social work from Rhode Island College, and a master’s degree in management, health and human services, from Springfield College.
