Mental health director named county’s Employee of the Year
Provided photo: Katie Harvey, left, the county’s director of personnel, presents the “Employee of the Year” award to Danielle Figura, the county’s mental health director.
ALBION – Danielle Figura, the county’s director of the Mental Health Department, was named the “Employee of the Year” during an awards program last week.
The county recognized the employees of the month from October 2023 to September 2024. From that pool the employee of the year was chosen by a separate committee.
Figura, a county employee since 2014, was praised for “strengthening the presence of mental health services in Orleans County for all residents.”
She has mental health personnel working from all five public school districts in the county. Figura also expanded walk-in counseling appointments at the Mental Health building in Albion, allowing for increased access for services at a time when mental health services are a critical need all over the country, said Katie Harvey, the county’s director of personnel and self insurance.
Figura also leads a staff that responds to a local crisis offering grief counseling for students and staff at schools or for firefighters and other first responders.
“As a member of the Orleans County community she can respond timely to numerous other local incidents and crisis situations that our first responders have had to respond to,” Harvey said. “Her attention to the need for mental health services for first responders both as a coordinator for services and a counselor are critical to our ability to have a vibrant, healthy first responder service for our residents in a rural county.”
The EAP Committee at the county is tasked to recognize employees of the month.
“This is a very important and a very special occasion when fellow county employees are recognized for not only their service to the citizens of the county but to recognize those individuals who go above and beyond their duty,” Harvey said. “The EAP Committee receives nominations from fellow employees and department directors and then the nominations are reviewed and discussed by the committee and a selection is made.
The employees of the month for the past year include:
- October 2023 – Kailyn Dellinger (Planning & Development)
- November 2023 – Sharolyn Wallis (Public Works)
- December 2023 – Carie Doty (Public Health)
- January 2024 – Brandy Tooley (Social Services)
- February 2024 – Kelley Ortiz (Social Services)
- March 2024 – Kathy Fantasia (Social Services)
- April 2024 – Dana Goetze (Sheriff) & Danielle Figura (Mental Health)
- May 2024 – Michael Schultz & Leigha Collins (Dispatch)
- June 2024 – Jack Finley (IT Services)
- July 2024 – Jennifer Hammons (Social Services)
- August 2024 – Elizabeth Milazzo (Social Services)
- September 2024 – James Houseman (Animal Control)
