Thomas Coughlin III
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Thomas A. Coughlin III | |
|---|---|
| New York State Commissioner of Correctional Services | |
| In office 1979–1994 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Hongisto |
| Succeeded by | John A. Lyons |
| New York State Commissioner of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities | |
| In office 1975–1979 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | James E. Introne |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 12, 1938 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | August 23, 2001 (aged 63) Syracuse, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Goddard College |
Thomas Coughlin III (February 12, 1938 – August 23, 2001) was the first commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (now Office for People with Developmental Disabilities) and later served as the second longest commissioner of the New York State Department of Correctional Services. He was originally appointed by former Governor Hugh Carey as deputy commissioner for mental retardation in the New York State Department of Mental Hygiene in 1975.[1]
Born in Brooklyn on February 12, 1938, the son of a firefighter, he grew up in Flatbush and attended Midwood High School. He volunteered for the Air Force and was stationed in Watertown, N.Y., where he married and later resided and served as a New York state trooper. He graduated from Goddard College in Vermont in 1972, and briefly studied law at Syracuse University.[1]
People with Developmental Disabilities
The Coughlins' third daughter was born with developmental disabilities, and in 1964 he founded the Jefferson County Association for Retarded Children to press for better state facilities for people with intellectual disabilities.[1] After joining the Department of Mental Hygiene, Coughlin became instrumental in implementing the Willowbrook Consent Decree which committed New York state to improving community placement for all developmentally disabled.[2][3]