Chris Abele
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele’s reappointment of Department of Health and Human Services Director Hector Colon on September 22, 2016 won the approval of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, on an 11-6 vote.
Under Mr. Colon’s leadership, DHHS has ended a 30 year wait list for people who need long term care supports to live in the community; decreased chronic homelessness by 75%; ended a 12 year Section 8 housing waiting list; transitioned hundreds of people with mental illness and intellectual disabilities out of long-term care units and into community living arrangements; implemented over 25 million dollars of new or enhanced community based services that have led to a 34% decrease in emergency detentions and a 24% decrease in emergency room visits; has led the charge to implement meaningful reforms in our juvenile justice system and bring youths back from Lincoln Hills; and has helped work to end stigma associated with mental illness.
“Thousands of lives in Milwaukee County are better today than they were five years ago because of the work that Hector Colon and his team do every day at the Department of Health and Human Services,” County Executive Chris Abele said.
“That’s why it was no surprise for me to see the remarkable outpouring of support for Hector’s reconfirmation from elected officials, residents, and community-based groups over the last few weeks. I’m glad that the County Board of Supervisors carefully considered Hector’s record of accomplishments, and the support he received from constituents in every corner of the county, in voting 11-6 in favor of reconfirmation.”
“I’m humbled by the show of support I’ve received from the community, my colleagues, the incredibly hard-working employees of DHHS, County Executive Chris Abele, and the County Board of Supervisors,” DHHS Director Hector Colon said.
“I’m committed to working with all of these partners in continued support of our efforts to end chronic homelessness, provide employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, and on the continued transformation of our juvenile justice system into a national bestpractice model.”
Supervisors Deanna Alexander, Eddie Cullen, Marina Dimitrijevic, Theo Lipscomb, David Sartori, Luigi Schmitt, Dan Sebring, Anthony Staskunas, Steve Taylor, Sheldon Wasserman, and Peggy West all voted in support of Colon’s reconfirmation.