Commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services named

Has been with cabinet since 2012

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 8, 2016) — Adria Johnson has been named Commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services (DCBS), Gov. Matt Bevin and Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) Secretary Vickie Yates Brown Glisson announced today.

“Adria is a dedicated, well-respected and versatile professional with more than 21 years of hands-on experience in both the public and private sectors,” Bevin said. “Her strong desire to serve, coupled with her proven ability to lead and coordinate efforts toward reform will be assets as she works to deliver high quality services to citizens of the commonwealth.”

Johnson joined the cabinet in December 2012 as DCBS Deputy Commissioner. For almost three years, she has been instrumental in leading several efforts aimed at bringing about needed reform to improve the lives of some of the commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens.

“It is an honor to continue to serve the vulnerable children, adults and families of the commonwealth as Commissioner of the Department for Community Based Services,” Johnson said. “I thank Gov. Bevin and Secretary Glisson for this opportunity to serve and to make a difference in the safety, stability and well-being of the citizens who depend on this agency every day.”

Johnson’s professional experience includes positions in both government and corporate finance. Before joining CHFS, Johnson held key roles in Louisville Metro Government, ranging from Capital Planning Analyst in the Office of Management and Budget, to Acting Director of the Department of Community Services and Revitalization. Johnson also gained strong fiscal proficiency through various private sector roles at Humana, LG&E, and Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corp.

A Louisville native and resident, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Ball State University and completed several postgraduate courses from the University of Louisville. Johnson is also a published author. Her book of poetry, A Peek at My Soul, was published in 2004.

“Adria’s background makes her the ideal candidate to lead the state’s complex social services system,” said Glisson. “She will be an integral part of this Cabinet’s service delivery to at-risk families. The responsibilities of this job are vast, but I am pleased she has accepted the challenge. With Adria’s guidance, we can explore new avenues and partnerships to find different ways to solve the persistent problems that keep families from moving toward self-sufficiency and safety.”

DCBS is the Cabinet’s largest agency and provides family support; child care; child and adult protection; eligibility determinations for Medicaid and food benefits; and administers the state foster care and adoption systems, including the recruitment and training of parents to care for the state’s children who are waiting for a permanent home. With offices in all 120 Kentucky counties, DCBS provides services and programs to enhance the self-sufficiency of families; improve safety and permanency for children and vulnerable adults; and, engage families and community partners in a collaborative decision-making process. The Department has more than 4,560 employees and annual expenditures of approximately $991 million.