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Thomas Haro to lead state office that scrutinizes worker disability requests

By JOEY BUNCH 03/16/2017 | updated 8 years ago

Thomas Haro’s new job for the Department of Human Services is at the nexus of taxpayers and the disabled in Colorado.

Haro is the new director of the Division of Disability Determination Services, which works with the Social Security Administration to determine who qualifies for Supplemental Security Income.

The division handle more than 40,000 requests a year with 50 disability examiners, 25 doctors and 40 administrative and clerical staff.

He succeeds Vicki Johnson, who retired at the end of the year after leading the division since 2005. Haro has been acting director since January and deputy director of support services since 2013.

“My vision is to lead DDS to greatness with innovative leadership, a shared spirit of performance management, teamwork and accountability to the citizens we serve,” Haro said in a statement.

DHS said that as deputy director Haro put in cost-saving methods and partnerships and he was part of a four-person team that won the Commissioner Citation Team Award, the highest award bestowed by Social Security Administration’s commissioner.

Last March, the office won a national Phoenix Award for “overcoming significant obstacles in improving and streamlining performances and processes” in 2015.

“Thomas has demonstrated strong leadership with his team, and at the state and national level,”Mark Wester, director of DHS’s Office of Community Access and Independence, said in a statement. “As he steps into the division director position, he will lead his team to continue its focus on effectively serving the people of Colorado.”

 

JOEY BUNCH

Reporter

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