Acting DFSS Comm. Angela Green, left, answers questions from Ald. Maria Hadden (49) during a Committee on Health and Human Relations hearing on Oct. 9, 2025. [Livestream]

The City Council Committee on Health and Human Relations on Thursday approved the appointment of a permanent Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) commissioner.

The health committee unanimously approved the appointment of Angela Green as DFSS commissioner.  

DFSS oversees many of the city’s social service programs such homelessness prevention, reentry services for the formerly incarcerated, shelters and resources for domestic violence victims and child welfare and youth opportunities. The department issues myriad requests for proposals for social welfare programs.  

Green is a former regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families. She also previously served as deputy director of practice support for the Indiana Department of Child Services and served as vice president of the Children’s Bureau, Inc., an Indiana nonprofit focused on child welfare and abuse prevention that has since merged with Families First to form the Firefly Children and Family Alliance. 

“Across these roles, my work focused on advancing equity, promoting economic mobility and improving child and family well-being,” Green said in opening remarks to the committee. “I had the privilege of convening state commissioners, national foundations, thought partners and tribal leaders to align priorities, break down silos and pursue shared solutions to poverty, homelessness, and workforce challenges that affect families nationwide.” 

Green holds a Master of Social Work from Indiana University and is a senior executive fellow with Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. 

The acting commissioner described DFSS as the “first line of response for some of our most vulnerable residents,” such as domestic violence survivors, the homeless, senior citizens and immigrants. If confirmed, Green said she’d hope to improve service delivery, accountability and efficiency to turn Chicago into a “national model” for human services. 

“More importantly than just being a provider of programs, DFSS must be a trusted partner, an agency that listens, that meets people where they are, and that helps to restore dignity and hope,” Green said. 

She said if confirmed she’d also focus on the potential loss of federal dollars from budget cuts, noting her “experience of establishing diversified funding strategies” in previous roles. 

Ald. Maria Hadden (49) said the city was lucky to have such an experienced person leading DFSS. 

“We couldn't be in more challenging times,” Hadden said. “And so, it's heartening to still have the best and brightest joining up and helping us.” 

Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33), the chair of the committee, asked Green about her vision to address homelessness as well as responding to President Donald Trump’s deployment of federal law enforcement operations in the city. 

The acting commissioner said DFSS is working with city, Cook County and state partners to ensure that the city’s shelters can be a place for anyone to go who’s in danger due to the federal presence in Chicago. She said that includes training shelter staff about how to respond to immigration authorities, who can be barred from buildings without warrants.  

“What is occurring right now is unprecedented, and the safety of our unhoused residents and neighbors is critical,” Green said. 

Green also said one thing she’ll be focused on is staying ahead of changes at the federal level that could impact funding for the department, as she said nearly 70 percent of DFSS revenue is from federal and state sources, with the majority of that being federal.  

Hadden told Green that her big request from the commissioner was to always “give it to us straight” when talking about the challenges DFSS may be facing.  

“Hit us over the head if you need to, but please help us really, fully understand what the impact is so that we can make our best informed decisions as we operate in this body to think about what difficult decisions we're going to need and what services that we need to preserve and work on,” Hadden said.  

Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed Green to the post formerly occupied by Brandie Knazze in July. With the committee’s approval, her confirmation will be considered by the full City Council Thursday.