Chautauqua County Health Director Won't Be Reappointed For Another Term

MAYVILLE, NY (WNY News Now) – Chautauqua County’s Health Director will not be reappointed for another term in office, according to Executive PJ Wendel.

The Chautauqua County Executive announced on Monday that Christine Schuyler, the County Department of Health and Human Services Director, will not be tapped to continue in her role.

“Christine’s current term expires the end of this month and I have made the decision to not re-appoint her to another 5-year term, and move in a different direction with the structure of the County’s delivery of human services,” said Wendel in a statement. “I appreciate Christine’s service and dedication to the residents of Chautauqua County during her 14-year tenure with the County and I wish her all the best with her future endeavors.”

Her last day with Chautauqua County will be Tuesday, Nov. 29.

Schuyler first began her career in county government in July 2008 when she was appointed as Public Health Director for the Chautauqua County Department of Public Health.

She then took on the dual role of Commissioner of Social Services in June 2011 as the Department of Public Health and Department of Social Services began its merger into the Department of Health and Human Services.

In November 2012, she was then appointed as the Director of the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services.

Under her leadership, the County Health Department was one of the first local health departments to attain registration as a New York State Opioid Overdose Prevention Program and the County was one of the first to implement a child welfare electronic record management system.

“I am extremely proud of the transformational work and tremendous accomplishments my department has achieved over my tenure,” said Schuyler in a statement. “I have been blessed to lead such important work and to be surrounded by dedicated professionals and amazing people.”

With Schuyler’s departure, Wendel has assigned Physician Michael Faulk additional duties to act as Interim Public Health Director overseeing the the Division of Public Health.

Deputy Commissioner of Social Services Jon Anderson will serve on an interim basis as Acting Social Services Commissioner overseeing the agency’s five social services divisions.

The County Executive expects to announce the reorganization of the County’s human services departments by early next year.