TRENTON — Kenneth Ritchey, the assistant commissioner for the Department of Human Services retired Friday, nearly four years after he was appointed to oversee the Division of Developmental Disabilities. His boss, Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez, disclosed his departure on Friday afternoon in an e-mail addressed to "DDD stakeholders.'' "Serving as Assistant Commissioner since March 2007, Ken's tenure is...
TRENTON — Kenneth Ritchey, the assistant commissioner for the Department of Human Services retired Friday, nearly four years after he was appointed to oversee the Division of Developmental Disabilities.
His boss, Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez, disclosed his departure on Friday afternoon in an e-mail addressed to "DDD stakeholders.''
"Serving as Assistant Commissioner since March 2007, Ken's tenure is marked with advances, most notable, reducing out of state residential placements and expanding the Medicaid Community Care Waiver to maximize federal reimbursement,'' Velez said.
Medicaid is the major source of funding for housing, employment and other services for people with developmental disabilities.
Reached at home, Ritchey, 63, declined to discuss the details of his departure. "I'll defer all comment to the commissioner and the department,'' said Ritchey, who oversaw Ohio's department of developmental disabilities prior to coming to New Jersey.
"I am proud of what we have done, and I am proud to have worked for the state of New Jersey,'' he said.
New Deputy Human Services Commissioner Dawn Apgar will serve as interim director while a search to replace Ritchey is conducted, Velez's e-mail said.
"Dawn has an extensive background in programming and services for individuals with developmental disabilities,'' said Pam Ronan, state Human Services spokeswoman. "We expect that her day-to-day management of the division will involve some reorganization of personnel and resources to reflect the division's efforts to be responsive to stakeholders, consumers and their families,''
