§ 500. Office of children and family services; commissioner. 1. There is hereby continued in the department of family assistance an autonomous office of children and family services. The head of such office shall be the commissioner of children and family services, who shall be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, and shall serve at the pleasure of the governor. The commissioner may appoint such officers, employees, agents and consultants as he or she may deem necessary, prescribe their duties, fix their compensation and provide for reimbursement of their expenses within the amounts available therefor by appropriation.

2. The commissioner may promulgate, adopt, amend or rescind rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this article, provided, however, that such rules and regulations shall be strictly limited in their application to the means and methods of compliance with the provisions of this article.

3. Whenever the division for youth or its director is referred to in any provision of this chapter or in any other law, such reference shall be deemed to refer to the office of children and family services or the commissioner of children and family services.