Chris Adams, Deputy Commissioner
Chris Adams became the deputy commissioner for the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) in December 2012. He previously served DADS as the director for the Center for Policy and Innovation.
As deputy commissioner, Adams oversees the centers for Policy and Innovation, Program Coordination, and Consumer and External Affairs. These centers are responsible for providing policy direction and technical assistance to improving services, coordinating business processes, and ensuring accurate and timely external communications.
Adams began work with the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation (TDMHMR) as a social worker at Mexia State School in 1979. After six years at Mexia, he accepted a position at Denton State School where he worked as director of residential services, assistant superintendent and superintendent over the next 16 and a half years.
In late 2000, he moved to Austin as the assistant director of the State Facilities Division at TDMHMR where he worked until the formation of the DADS in 2004. From August 2004 until November 2009, he served as director of Survey Operations in the Regulatory Services Division of DADS. He served as the assistant commissioner for State Supported Living Centers from November 2009 until August 2012.
Adams is a graduate of Baylor University with a bachelor's degree in social work; he also has a master's degree in healthcare administration from Trinity University.
Updated: March 14, 2013