Pueblo County appoints Tammy Torres as director of Department of Human Services
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) - After a nearly year-long search, a permanent director of the Pueblo County Department of Human Services (DHS) has been appointed.
On Thursday, the Board of Pueblo County Commissioners appointed Tammy Torres as director of Pueblo County's DHS. Torres had been acting as interim director since May of 2021 and was deputy director of Pueblo DHS before the interim role.
On May 17, 2021, Pueblo County’s director of the Department of Human Services, Tim Hart, stepped down.
His decision came just three days after 13 Investigates requested to sit down with him to discuss systemic problems within the department.
"I just wanted to start with thanking [the commission] for giving me the opportunity to act in the interim role," said Torres. "I have been with Pueblo County DHS since 2008. Prior to this interim role, I was the deputy director over the Assistance Payments Program Division, the Housing Services Division, and our Adult Division. I am super proud of the improvements that we've made over the last ten months."
The Pueblo County Commission says two national searches were conducted to find a replacement, but Torres’ previous work in the department, and the job she's done over the last 10 months in the interim role, made her stand out from the rest.
"I do want the community to know that I do love Pueblo," said Torres. "I love our community. I love the people of our community. Public service has always been a value that I've possessed my entire life, and I feel blessed to be able to continue to serve in this new role."
Pueblo County Commissioner Garrison Ortiz believes Torres' leadership over the last year has been the key to turning around the department.
13 Investigates previously uncovered dozens of policy violations by Pueblo DHS case workers in child death and abuse cases.
Then, in January of 2022, Pueblo County agreed to a $6 million settlement for the family of Aiden Seeley, a toddler who prosecutors say was murdered while in DHS foster care.
"I think when we had a change in leadership with Tammy coming in as the interim, I think that we really saw results then," said Ortiz. "I don't think it was necessarily spurred by the settlement or the news that came out about some of some of the challenges that we've had. I think that's been her mindset all along. I just think she never really quite had the opportunity to set the tone for leadership from the very top. So now I think that she has had that opportunity in the interim role, we're seeing some really great results and it's paying off."
Over the last 10 months Torres says DHS has written over 15 policies that are now in place. She also says their complaints to the state are trending downwards.
"In January through June of 2021, there were 16 complaints, of which seven of them were in the child welfare division," said Torres. "Then during the next six month period, from July 1st to December 31st, the total complaints decreased to ten, with only two of those coming from the child welfare division."
"Certainly this year has been a challenging year for the department, but we feel very confident in Torres' ability to continue to lead this department in a forward direction," said Ortiz.
