NORWICH – The New York State Office of Victim Services has announced the appointment of Daniel Auwarter, director of Catholic Charities of Chenango County’s Crime Victims Program, to serve on its 16-member advisory council.

Auwarter said he was looking forward to the three-year term appointment. “Our own program mission is aligned with that of the state’s Office of Victim Services in ‘advocating for the rights and benefits of all innocent victims of crime,’ and I look forward to helping represent victim assistance programs as a member,” he said.

The formation of an advisory council is detailed in NYS Executive Law, which empowers the Office of Victim Services to establish a council that would develop policies based on the problems of crime victims. The council is comprised of members appointed by the office who have demonstrated an active interest in or obtained professional knowledge of the problems, needs and treatment of victims.

Auwarter has been employed with Catholic Charities of Chenango County since 1993 – heading up its residential program for at-risk youth – and took over as director of its Crime Victims Program in 2007. He earned a bachelor’s of science degree with a concentration in criminal justice from SUNY Empire State College and is currently a member of the Chenango Youth Bureau, Chenango Memorial Crisis Response Team, Headwaters Youth Advisory Committee, Chenango United Way Campaign Committee and the Syracuse-based Christopher Community Inc. Board of Directors.