Jess Dannhauser steps down after four years heading Administration for Children’s Services amid new mayoral transition
Jess Dannhauser, the commissioner of New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services and head of the roughly three billion dollar agency responsible for foster care and child welfare investigations, resigned from Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration on Friday, January 10. His resignation letter to the mayor offered no explicit explanation for his departure, but came less than two weeks into Mamdani’s term, signaling early administrative turnover. Dannhauser had served as ACS commissioner since his appointment by former Mayor Eric Adams in December 2021, presiding over the agency through the COVID-19 pandemic and recent pressure from the Trump administration regarding federal funding for public services.
Dannhauser’s Four-Year Tenure at ACS
Dannhauser brought significant child welfare experience to his role, having previously served as a nonprofit child welfare agency executive and an advisor on child welfare policy under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. During his tenure, ACS oversaw approximately 3 billion dollars in annual funding and responsibility for approximately 14,000 children in foster care and investigations into approximately 60,000 cases of potential child abuse and neglect annually. According to reporting from The Imprint, Dannhauser’s resignation letter highlighted achievements during his tenure, including “tens of thousands more children in child care and thousands more families in supportive services”.
Contested Leadership of Complex Agency
Leadership of ACS has historically proven controversial and demanding. The agency faces constant pressure following fatalities of children known to the child welfare systemincidents that generate media scrutiny, political criticism, and internal recrimination. In December 2024, Dannhauser faced criticism from the New York Post editorial board, which accused him of prioritizing “equity” over children’s safety and called for his firing following several child fatalities. The incident illustrates the impossible balance child welfare commissioners must achieve: expanding family support services without child safety, while simultaneously defending investigative restraint to critics demanding more aggressive intervention.
Dannhauser’s Defense of His Record
In his resignation letter, Dannhauser emphasized positive trends during his tenure. He wrote that “thoughtful child protection responses are being carried out with urgency to keep children safe,” while “far fewer families are experiencing unnecessary intrusion and separation,” and “fewer children are awaiting placement.” He also noted that “our youth centers are safer and more able to nurture young people’s development.” These claims reflect shifting philosophies in child welfare that emphasize prevention and family preservation alongside protection.
Former Mayor Adams’ Role in Resignation
Dannhauser’s resignation letter concluded with gratitude toward former Mayor Eric Adams, “who defended the commissioner throughout his tenure and encouraged Mamdani to keep him on board.” Adams had provided Dannhauser with political cover during controversies, suggesting that Dannhauser may have felt secure under Adams despite external criticism. That Dannhauser resigned rather than being retained by Mamdanidespite Adams’ apparent advocacy for continuitysuggests possible philosophical disagreements between the new administration and the continuing commissioner.
Mamdani’s Child Welfare Leadership Plans
Mamdani had previously announced the appointment of Helen Arteaga Landaverde as deputy mayor for health and human services, the position overseeing ACS. Landaverde, a former hospital CEO, brings healthcare administration experience to the role. Her appointment signaled potential shifts in how ACS would be ledmoving from Dannhauser’s background in nonprofit advocacy to Landaverde’s healthcare management experience.
The Transition and Broader Policy Questions
Dannhauser’s resignation creates both continuity and uncertainty. The agency requires experienced leadership given the complexity of child welfare work and the scrutiny surrounding case fatalities. However, Mamdani’s early executive actions on housing, childcare, and consumer protection suggest he may seek to reshape child welfare policy under new leadership. His campaign platform emphasized protecting vulnerable families and expanding public services, suggesting potential philosophical alignment with Dannhauser’s stated emphasis on family preservation. Yet the resignation suggests that alignment may have been insufficient or that Mamdani preferred new leadership for fresh approaches.
The Politics of Child Welfare in NYC
Historically, ACS commissioners operate under perpetual political pressure. Progressives criticize the agency for unnecessary family separation; conservatives critique it for insufficient intervention when tragedies occur. Each major incident generates calls for reform and commissioner change. When Dannhauser wrote that he and his agency “will not rest” on the goal of children’s safety and family success, he acknowledged the never-ending nature of child welfare leadership.
What Comes Next for ACS Leadership
Mamdani’s administration must now recruit and appoint a new ACS commissioner during early months when policy attention is needed elsewhere. The new commissioner will inherit a 3 billion dollar budget, 14,000 children in foster care, and the constant pressure of potential fatalities and public scrutiny. Success will require both expanding family support services and maintaining public confidence in the agency’s protective capacitya balance that has eluded most recent commissioners. For working families relying on child welfare services, the transition represents both opportunity for new approaches and risk of instability during leadership changes.
