Leadership change for Division of Family Resources

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    Division of Family Resources Director Adrienne Shields is resigning effective March 1, 2024, after 18 years with the Family and Social Services Administration, including 10 years as DFR director.

    “In her career at FSSA, Adrienne led not just DFR, but the agency, through several challenging and historical events,” FSSA Secretary Dr. Dan Rusyniak said. “Her leadership and dedication to the underserved has made Indiana a national example of how to provide accurate, timely and consistent services with dignity to all who need it.”

    Adrienne has served as DDRS deputy director, DMHA deputy director and DFR director through a tenure that encompassed three gubernatorial administrations and eight FSSA secretaries. DFR operates more than 100 offices across Indiana and employs 1,200. Most recently, she completed a visit to all local offices, and during her career at FSSA she has visited all counties twice. A few of the accomplishments achieved under Adrienne’s leadership include:

    • Oversaw DDRS consolidated case management
    • Led DFR rollouts of HIP and HIP 2.0
    • Managed the state psychiatric hospitals as DMHA deputy director
    • Implemented DFR’s fully integrated eligibility system, Indiana Eligibility Determination Services System (IEDSS)
    • Led FSSA efforts with Afghan refugee resettlement
    • Expanded issuance of SNAP Benefits
    • Guided P-EBT to provide families reimbursement of meals lost due to COVID-19 school closures
    • Reinstated eligibility determination as part of the end of the federal public health emergency

    “I will miss my DFR team and the direct impact we have on the lives of our fellow Hoosiers,” Shields said. “Serving as the director of the Division of Family Resources has been the highlight of my career.”

    She is a two-time recipient of the Governor’s Public Service Achievement Award, being honored by Gov. Mitch Daniels in 2011 and Gov. Eric Holcomb in 2023. She has twice been named one of the IBJ’s Forty Under 40.

    Adrienne will continue her career with Diversified Services Network, where she will help other states improve their processes in determining eligibility and administering benefits.

    Deputy Director of Operations Sunshine Beam will be the interim director of DFR with support from Secretary Rusyniak and FSSA Chief of Staff Kim Opsahl.

     

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