Deborah Garneau is the Chief of the Office of Special Health Care Needs at the RI Department of Health.  In this position she is responsible for the supervision, management, and leadership of the Office’s three program areas including Pediatric Specialty Services, Disability and Health and Family Support and Empowerment.  The Office manages over $1.1M in community performance based contracts, the scope of which include medical home enhancement, youth medical transition, emergency preparedness for people with disabilities, service delivery system development, establishment of linkages between primary and specialty care, provision of parent support, health promotion for people with disabilities, resource development for parents and professionals, and comprehensive surveillance and building of quality, performance-based systems of care.
In addition to direct contract management, Ms. Garneau is responsible for collaborating with state agencies and community providers in establishing policy to ensure an integrated special needs service delivery system for the provision of direct services for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and their families.
Ms Garneau served as a mental health clinician and administrator with at-risk children and their families prior to state service.