Staverne Miller, a former social worker and longtime public employee, has been named the permanent commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families after holding the post in an interim capacity since last September.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh announced the hiring decision Monday, telling staffers in a memo that Miller was picked from a "very strong pool of candidates." Walsh said Miller landed the role "in part because of her strength in the interim role but also because of her deep understanding of DCF's work."
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"Since being named acting commissioner, Staverne has prioritized the agency's response to families experiencing substance misuse, to supporting the needs of kinship families and to strengthening the foster care system," Walsh wrote in the memo, which was shared with the News Service. "As commissioner, she will lead the agency in advancing critical policies, aligning initiatives to ensure we are addressing the concrete needs of families, and working collaboratively with sister agencies and community partners to understand and address systemic issues that contribute to the overrepresentation of children and families who are Latino or black in our child welfare system."
Miller has worked at DCF since 1989, officials said last year when they tapped her as interim commissioner. Miller's appointment came following the departure of long-time Commissioner Linda Spears.
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Milled first served as a social worker, before moving into supervisor, manager and director roles in the field and in DCF's central office.
"I look forward to continuing to work with Staverne as we find new ways to involve those with lived experience in policy and practice review and address disparities in the child welfare system," Walsh said.
