Molinaro Appoints New Commissioner
of Behavioral and Community Health
Poughkeepsie… Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro has appointed Anil K. Vaidian, MD, MPH, as Commissioner of Behavioral and Community Health. The County Executive has forwarded the appointment resolution to the Dutchess County Legislature for approval at the March 14th board meeting.
Dr. Vaidian comes to Dutchess County with over 24 years of medical experience, including 17 years in local county public health service. He will lead the Department of Behavioral and Community Health (DBCH) in its mission to assess and protect the community from health risks, assure access to high quality services, and promote holistic care that integrates physical and behavioral health outcomes, overseeing more than 200 employees and an annual operating budget of approximately $64 million.
Dr. Vaidian has spent the last decade with the Rockland County Department of Health, most recently as the Director of Disease Control and Prevention following a series of promotions. He had previously served in Westchester County Government’s Division of Disease Control. Prior to his tenure in public health service in county government, he served as Assistant Professor of Medicine at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Vaidian to Dutchess County and excited to have him lead the Department of Behavioral and Community Health in achieving our bold goal of being the healthiest county in New York State,” said County Executive Molinaro. “Dr. Vaidian’s wealth of experience in public health here in the Hudson Valley Region makes him the right choice to lead this critical department.”
Dr. Vaidian earned his M.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine in Buffalo, NY. He also holds a Masters of Public Health from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York. He completed his post-graduate medical training, serving as Primary Care/General Medicine Resident and then as Chief Medical Resident at the Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, NY.
“Dutchess County Government has always been a leader in the Hudson Valley region and I am excited to be part of this outstanding organization. I appreciate County Executive Molinaro’s confidence in me and I look forward to working with him and the entire DBCH team to ensure and protect the health and well-being of Dutchess County residents,” said Dr. Vaidian.
Following confirmation by the Dutchess County Legislature and approval by the New York State Department of Health, Dr. Vaidian is expected to begin serving as Commissioner in late April.
