Kingston, NY – County Executive Mike Hein announces the reappointment of Ulster County Commissioner of Health and Mental Health Dr. Carol M. Smith, who has served with distinction as Commissioner since 2012.
Since taking office, Dr. Smith has spearheaded the County Executive’s bold health agenda to prevent illness and ensure the physical, psychological and emotional well–being of Ulster County residents of all ages and backgrounds. Dr. Smith is responsible for the full integration of the Departments of Health and Mental Health, which consolidated the County’s health-related and educational services helping to streamline service provision and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Other key achievements include: overseeing the implementation of the County’s first Mobile Mental Health Team; re-structuring the County Medical Examiner’s Office and modernizing its data collection, permitting and recordkeeping methods and procedures; expanding mental health services to residents regardless of their ability to pay under the County Executive’s Ulster C.A.R.E.S. initiative and helping to develop the Ulster County Suicide Prevention Education Awareness Kit (SPEAK) App. Also important to note is that Dr. Smith has been instrumental in ensuring that Ulster County’s substance abuse services are more accessible by helping to launch UlsterHelps.org and extending Naloxone supplies and training to all certified Emergency Service Providers in the County, as well as making the same available to County employees and Chamber of Commerce members.
Michael P. Hein, Ulster County Executive
“Dr. Smith’s tireless dedication to improving the health and well-being of all the residents of Ulster County is helping to place us on a path to a healthier future,” said Ulster County Executive Mike Hein. “Her exemplary leadership has helped our County address critical public health issues ranging from the expansion of mental health services for some of our most vulnerable populations to overseeing the development of the Ulster County Opioid Taskforce as they fight the current opioid crisis. She is an outstanding asset to our community and I look forward to her continued leadership and dedication to helping make Ulster County the healthiest County in this great state. Everything that she has done for our County has helped improve, and in many cases, save lives.”
Dr. Carol M. Smith, Commissioner of Ulster County Health and Mental Health
“It is an honor and privilege to serve the people of Ulster County as Commissioner of Health and Mental Health,” said Dr. Smith I look forward to continuing to work with our County Executive Mike Hein in implementing his bold and progressive health agenda for our County. Since my tenure began in 2012, I have had the opportunity to positively impact the health and mental health polices for over 180,000 County residents. My mission is to continue to work to make our County one of the healthiest communities in the State of New York.”
Dr. Smith is the current President of the New York State Association of County Health Officials and a member of the National Association of City and County Health Officials, the NYS Conference of Local Mental Health Directors, the American College of Physicians, and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. She is a distinguished visiting professor at New York Medical College. Dr. Smith is also a recipient of the National Association of City and County Health Officials and the Robert Wood Johnson/deBeaumont Foundation Fellowship Award for new Public Health Officials. She is also the creator and host of the weekly “Healthy Ulster” Radio show on WBPM (92.9 FM), WGHQ (92.5 FM & 920 AM), WLNA (1420 AM) and WBNR (1260 AM).
Dr. Smith earned her medical degree at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/ Rutgers Medical School and is licensed to practice Medicine in New York State. She also holds a Master of Public Health Degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin and a Master of Science Degree from New York University. She was board certified in Internal Medicine in 1991 and is experienced in Emergency Medicine and Occupational Medicine. Dr. Smith and her family reside in Port Ewen.
Dr. Smith’s reappointment is subject to confirmation by the Ulster County Legislature, and the State Department of Health.
