Overview
- Dalton, formerly head of Allegheny County’s human services, was tapped to succeed Molly Wasow Park as New York City’s social services chief.
- DSS oversees the Department of Homeless Services and the Human Resources Administration, a vast operation serving millions with more than 14,000 employees.
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani has resumed homeless encampment removals with DHS, not the NYPD, directing when and where clearances occur.
- In Allegheny County, Dalton helped coordinate a winter shelter network that sharply reduced the number of people living outdoors, according to the mayor’s office.
- Her record includes controversy over a child-welfare algorithm that reports found disproportionately flagged Black children for mandatory follow-ups.