Former Salt Lake mayor named head of Utah Department of Human Services

SALT LAKE CITY — Former Salt Lake City Mayor Palmer DePaulis will become the new head of the Utah Department of Human Services, after employees learned this morning that current director Lisa-Michele Church will be leaving. DePaulis currently serves as the executive director of the Utah Department of Community and Culture.

Church told the Deseret News "it's been a hard day to tell your people and just make changes you need to make. It's a personal decision. I went to governor myself and said I think the time is right. He was kind to tell me he didn't want me to go, but that he understood my personal decision. I support the governor fully."

She said after five years, she's happy with what has been accomplished during her tenure, and with another budget cycle beginning in July, "it's a good time to start with a new executive director." She is returning to private law practice on July 1.

Gov. Gary Herbert announced the appointment Thursday at a cabinet meeting. The appointment is subject to approval by the Utah Senate.

The 4,350-employee Department of Human Services includes the Divisions of Aging and Adult Services, Child and Family Services, Juvenile Justice Services, Professional Licensing, Substance Abuse and Mental Health, People with Disabilities and the Office of Recovery Services.

DePaulis has served as executive director at the Department of Community and Culture since his appointment by then-Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. in June 2006. New leadership at the agency will be announced at a later date.

Herbert said the selection of DePaulis is based on his familiarity with local and state government, as well as a dedicated history of community involvement.

"Those who know Palmer know him to be a skilled leader and a compassionate individual, which makes him uniquely suited to tackle the tough issues that Human Services staff see on a daily basis," Herbert said. "I'm confident in his ability to take the leadership that Lisa-Michele has shown during her tenure at the agency and continue to improve upon her efforts."

A former reporter and corporate attorney, Church was named director in February 2005, and has lead the department through an era that saw the state legislature cut its funding by a total of $40 million in the past three budget cycles.

She has worked to protect services critical to clients, but has seen the department through deep cuts in administrative and program staff. She said the cuts are "not directly related to my decision," and that she had the luxury of seeing the department function at a higher level of funding the first two years, before the recession and state belt-tightening brought hard times.