Suffolk social services chief John Imhof resigns amid health concerns

John Imhof is leaving as Suffolk County’s social services commissioner, a change that lands while the department is still carrying child welfare reforms, a large safety-net caseload and fresh scrutiny over its performance. Imhof, who has led the Department of Social Services since 2024, said health concerns drove his decision to resign.

The departure matters well beyond county government. Suffolk’s Department of Social Services says its mission is to provide financial assistance and support services to eligible residents while protecting vulnerable people and promoting self-sufficiency. In 2024 alone, the agency said it helped more than 300,000 residents, a reminder of how many Suffolk families rely on its work for child protection, case management, emergency support and other basic services.

County Executive Ed Romaine appointed Imhof in 2024, and the Suffolk County Legislature approved his appointment in Resolution 1418-24 for a five-year term. Before coming to Suffolk, Imhof led Nassau County’s Department of Social Services and also served as commissioner of Nassau County’s Department of Drug and Alcohol Addiction. Local reporting has described him as bringing roughly four decades of experience in the mental health field into the Suffolk role.

Imhof took over a department that was already under pressure to change. In November 2024, county officials announced sweeping Child Protective Services reforms tied to the Thomas Valva case, including blind removal review and the removal of identifying information about parents during child-removal evaluations. Valva’s 2020 death fueled public outrage over how the agency handled repeated abuse warnings, and the reforms were meant to reduce bias in removal decisions.

Even after those changes, Suffolk’s child welfare system remained under strain. WSHU reported that officials still said the county needed more foster homes after the overhaul. More recent reporting said Suffolk’s child abuse and neglect deaths reached a 10-year high, with officials blaming missed warnings, thin staffing and a high number of less experienced staff. That backdrop makes the loss of a commissioner more consequential than a routine personnel change.

For Suffolk residents, the immediate question is whether the department can keep reforms moving without interruption. The agency’s work touches some of the county’s most sensitive responsibilities, and the 2024 annual report framed Imhof’s tenure around policy reform and improved interagency collaboration. His exit leaves those efforts in transition at a moment when families, caseworkers and state overseers are still watching for signs that the system can stabilize.