TRENTON - Governor Jon S. Corzine today signed legislation to create the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the state’s first Cabinet-level department focused solely on child and family welfare.

“Today, we are taking a major step toward fixing New Jersey’s child welfare system and fulfilling our most basic commitment to protecting our children,” said Governor Corzine. “Aggressive reform of this system requires a degree of focus that simply is not possible under the current structure.”

The new, freestanding DCF will be staffed by approximately 6,600 state child welfare employees from within the Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Office of Children’s Services: the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS), the Division of Child Behavioral Health Services, the Division of Prevention and Community Partnerships, the Office of Education, and the New Jersey Child Welfare Training Academy.

Governor Corzine has appointed Kevin M. Ryan, who has served as the Commissioner of Human Services since January, to lead the new department of Children and Families on an interim basis. From 2003-2006, Ryan was the State Child Advocate where he was responsible for holding accountable state agencies that serve children at risk of abuse and neglect. He earned a B.A. from The Catholic University of America, a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a LL.M. from New York University School of Law. The Governor will submit Ryan’s formal nomination to the Senate for confirmation once the Senate reconvenes.

“The state of New Jersey has long needed a cabinet agency devoted to keeping kids safe and families strong,” said Commissioner Ryan. “As an advocate for children, I would especially like to extend my appreciation and gratitude to the Governor and the Legislature for their leadership on behalf of New Jersey’s children.”

To fill the post of Human Services Commissioner, Governor Corzine will nominate Clarke Bruno. Bruno previously served as General Counsel to the New York City Department of Homeless Services, where he directed legal affairs for the 2,200 employee agency with an operating budget of $730 million. Mr. Bruno has extensive legal expertise, vast managerial experience, and a strong command of the issues facing the New Jersey Department of Human Services. He obtained his B.A. from Swarthmore College and his J.D. from New York University. Until the confirmation process is complete, DHS Director of the Division of Addiction Services Jim Smith will serve as Acting Commissioner. Mr. Smith previously served as the Acting Commissioner of Human Services from 2001-2002, and also as Deputy Commissioner of Human Services from 1998-2001.

“I am honored by this extraordinary opportunity to serve the Governor, the clients of the Department of Human Services and the people of New Jersey,” said Mr. Bruno. “The Governor has charged me with making the state a leader in delivering high quality health and social services in a cost-effective manner.  I look forward to getting started.”

The Senate bill creating the new department was sponsored by Senators Joseph Vitale and William Gormley, and co-sponsored by Senators Ellen Karcher, Ronald Rice, Loretta Weinberg and Diane Allen. The Assembly bill was sponsored by Assemblypersons Joseph Cryan, Sheila Oliver, Nilsa Cruz-Perez and Valerie Vainieri-Huttle, and co-sponsored by Assemblypersons Mims Hackett, Charles Epps, and Oadline Truitt.

“We have made a lot of progress in turning around our child protection safety net to ensure that no child falls through,” said Senator Vitale, Chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. “However, reorganizing our state’s children’s welfare and family support programs into a standalone department within the Executive Branch offers an opportunity to advance reform well beyond the current timetable

DCF’s total budget for the Fiscal Year 2007 will be $1.4 billion, which includes the Legislature’s full appropriation of Governor Corzine’s proposed funding to support and deliver child welfare programs and services. The majority of DCF’s divisions, programs and staff will continue working from current offices and the central office of DCF will remain housed at the DHS headquarters at Capital Place One.

“I am proud to have sponsored this legislation giving children and families in New Jersey the attention they deserve,” Assemblyman Cryan said. “I look forward to working with the new Department and Commissioner Ryan in our continued commitment to improving the lives of our most vulnerable children and families.”

Governor Corzine’s Policy Advisory Council on Human Services Restructuring is completing its report, which will make recommendations to the Commission on Government Efficiency and Reform on how to ensure the most effective and efficient delivery of services for all of New Jersey’s human services clients.

DHS will be streamlined to provide more targeted services to persons with developmental disabilities and mental illness; persons with physical disabilities; those who are blind, visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing; people in need of addiction services; and people in need of affordable health care and other welfare services, such as food stamps, emergency assistance and unemployment support.

Governor Corzine today also announced that he will nominate Lucile Davy to serve as Commissioner of Education and George Hayman to serve as Commissioner of Corrections.

Davy was first appointed Acting Education Commissioner in 2005; previously she served as Special Counsel to the Governor on Education. She earned a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School and a B.S. in mathematics from Seton Hall University.

Hayman a 22-year veteran of the Department of Corrections has served as Acting Commissioner since January. He previously served as Assistant Commissioner of the Department. He earned both an M.A. and B.A. in social work from Rutgers University in Camden.