NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has appointed Bonne Hommrich as commissioner of the state Department of Children's Services.

Hommrich has served for more than a decade as a deputy commissioner for child programs at the agency. According to The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/1HfFoJf), Haslam said in a statement that the 68-year-old Hommrich "has dedicated her entire career to helping children and families."

While at DCS, her role has focused on areas such as child protective services, foster care, and community juvenile justice. The statement said that before joining DCS, Hommrich spent 22 years as a social worker and had a leadership role with the Kentucky Department of Social Services.

Her appointment comes after the current commissioner, Jim Henry, was selected to be Haslam's chief of staff beginning on Aug. 1