Department of Human Services

Robert Eilers, MD, MPH, Medical Director
John Whitenack, Assistant Director, Office of State Hospital Management
Roger Borichewski, Assistant Director for Community Services
Valerie L. Larosiliere, Assistant Director, Office of Policy, Planning, Housing & Quality Assurance
Lisa Ciaston, Legal Specialist
Margaret Molnar, Special Assistant for Consumer Affairs
Stephen Adams, Manager Fiscal Resources, Office of Fiscal Management Operations

Robert Eilers, MD, MPH, Medical Director
Dr. Eilers has been the DMHS Medical Director since 1996. He is Board-certified in adult psychiatry with subspecialty certification in administrative psychiatry and forensic psychiatry. The Office of the Medical Director provides clinical oversight of the state psychiatric hospitals and of community agencies providing mental health services, as well as continuous quality improvement efforts to assure that hospital services meet accreditation standards. He and his staff are also responsible for the supervision and programming needs for high risk and forensically involved patients. This includes conducting reviews of these patients when they are being considered for increased privileges or discharge. The Office of the Medical Director is also responsible for the screening of persons with severe mental illness prior to their placement in a nursing facility; this process is called PASRR (Pre-Admission Screening and Resident Review).

Prior to his current position, Dr. Eilers was Medical Director of Ancora Psychiatric Hospital, and before that a staff psychiatrist and Director of the Day Treatment Center program in the Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has written and lectured in his field and has had particular interest in evidence-based practices and pharmaceutical issues in general. Dr. Eilers received his M.D. from Thomas Jefferson College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, in 1976, and his M.P.H. from Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, MD, in 1995.
John Whitenack, Assistant Director, Office of State Hospital Management
John Whitenack has worked in the Department of Human Services since 1974, starting in Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital as a building maintenance worker. By the time Marlboro closed in 1998, John was the Chief Operating Officer. From 1998-2000, John served as the Bureau Chief of Budget Planning and Fiscal Monitoring for DMHS. In 2000, John served as the COO of Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital until starting as Acting Assistant Director of the Office of State Hospital Management in September 2010.

As Assistant Director, OSHM, John oversees and coordinates the operations of each state hospital. He also supervises the Patient Services Compliance Unit (PSCU) and the Centralized Admissions Office.
Roger Borichewski, Assistant Director for Community Services
Roger Borichewski is a New Jersey Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over two decades of experience in providing mental health services. He began his career in state service as a social worker at Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital. Roger also served as a social worker at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital prior to his appointment as Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital’s first Hospital and Community Liaison. He later became Hagedorn’s Director of Social Services, and served in this capacity for nearly 5 years. In 2006 he was appointed to serve as the Regional Coordinator for DMHS contracted community programs within the Trenton Psychiatric Hospital catchment area. From 2009 to 2010 Roger served as the Regional Coordinator for DMHS contracted community programs within the Ancora Psychiatric Hospital catchment area. Since July of 2010 he has served as the Acting Assistant Director for Community Services for all catchment areas. In addition to his state service, Roger has provided individual therapy, group therapy and resource linkages to children, adults and families in outpatient settings. Roger earned a Masters Degree in Social Work from Rutgers University.
Valerie L. Larosiliere, Assistant Director, Office of Policy, Planning, Housing & Quality Assurance
Ms. Larosiliere has worked in the field of behavioral health services since 1985. In the first ten years of her tenure in behavioral health she worked for private not-for-profit organizations in New Jersey. During this time period she developed experience in managing programs, developing strategic plans, directing quality management, developing new programs and budget planning and oversight. Valerie has worked for the Division of Mental Health Services since 2004.
She is responsible for the Division’s statewide implementation of its Home to Recovery (Olmstead) plan; development and implementation of the New Jersey’s State Plan for the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant; the Division’s quality improvement activities and for the statewide management of evidenced-based practices and specialty services such as Justice Involved Services, Intensive Family Support Services, Programs for Assertive Community Services, Acute Care services, Supported Employment, Supported Education and Supportive Housing development.

Valerie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fairfield University and a Master of Social Work degree from Rutgers University.
Lisa Ciaston, Legal Specialist
Lisa Ciaston serves as a Legal Liaison at DMHS. In this capacity, she serves as a liaison to government agencies and other interested parties interfacing with DMHS and provides general legal, legislative, regulatory and ethical guidance to DMHS staff. Prior to her appointment to Legal Liaison in 2007, Lisa was a Legal Specialist from DMHS since 2004.

From 1995-2000, Lisa worked in the Department of Law and Public Safety as a Deputy Attorney General representing agencies in the Department of Human Services. From 2000 through mid-2004, Lisa worked in the private sector at Merrill Lynch as a Business Manager of the Directed Share Program for the Private Client Group and then served as a Staff Attorney in their Office of General Counsel.

Lisa has also worked in the private sector for small and medium size law firms in the early 1990’s concentrating mostly in real estate and real estate development law. She received her law degree from St. John’s University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from Boston College, graduating magna cum laude. Lisa is admitted to practice in New Jersey, New York and California.
Margaret Molnar, Special Assistant for Consumer Affairs
Margaret Molnar serves as Special Assistant for the Office of Consumer Affairs in the Division of Mental Health Services. Margaret has served in this position since 2001, spearheading the statewide initiative to implement evidence-based Illness Management and Recovery services in community-based programs, and providing statewide leadership that facilitates the flow of communication between mental health consumers across the State of New Jersey and the Division of Mental Health Services as we move toward transforming the system of mental health care to a wellness and recovery-based model. Margaret advises the Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Mental Health Services and other key staff on issues of concern that impact the wellness and recovery of mental health consumers in both the hospitals and in the community.

Margaret holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration from Ithaca College. Margaret’s proudest accomplishment is her lived experience with serious mental illness, which has given her the insight and passion to be a tireless advocate and visionary. She has compassionately educated others throughout her career.
Stephen Adams, Manager Fiscal Resources, Office of Fiscal Management Operations
Stephen Adams, the Chief Financial Officer for the Division of Mental Health Services, has worked for the Division for 23 of his 28 years with the Department of Human Services. He has spent almost 3 years as CFO for DMHS and before that spent 3 years as CFO for the Division of Child Behavioral Health Services. He is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant (inactive status). As CFO he is responsible for the development and administration of the Division’s budget and spending plan for the State Psychiatric Hospitals, State Aid for County Hospitals, and community mental health services.