Anne Caldwell is appointed acting commission at county social services

GOSHEN — Anne Caldwell is now the acting commissioner for the Orange County Department of Social Services.

Orange County Executive Edward A. Diana announced the appointment effective Dec. 14, 2013. Caldwell has 27 years of experience in the field of human services, starting with the Orange County Department of Social Services as a social welfare examiner and rising through the ranks to the position of deputy commissioner in 2006.

Over the course of these years, she has been an instrumental leader within the department, chiefly responsible for child welfare and adult protective services provided by DSS, according to a press release from the county.

“The protection and safety of our children is one of the cornerstones of my administration,” said Diana. “Over the past five years, with Anne at the helm of our Child Protective Services Division (CPS), Orange County has become a statewide leader in promoting best practices in the field and creating a unique series of services designed to protect children at risk of abuse and neglect.”

On an annual basis, the Division of Human Services at DSS investigates nearly 4,000 allegations of abuse and neglect, provides preventive and protective services on an ongoing basis for more than 1,000 children, and ensures the safety of more than 375 youth currently in the protective custody of DSS, the release states.

A life-long resident of Middletown and a graduate of Middletown High School and SUNY Orange, Caldwell holds a master’s degree in social work from New York University and a bachelor’s degree from SUNY New Paltz. She began her career with DSS as a social welfare examiner, prior to her entrance into the Human Services division where she served as a caseworker, case supervisor, senior supervisor, director, and most recently as deputy commissioner.