He was a Democratic member of the Delaware House of Representatives from January 2009 until August 2015.
[1] In 2015, Barbieri resigned from his office to take an appointed $144,213 position as director of the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.
[2] The job position was not advertised, and Barbieri and the Democratic Party of Delaware were criticized for cronyism.
[3] A special election was held to fill Barbieri's seat, which was won by David Bentz.
[4] In July 2017, Barbieri resigned from his director position after a patient at one of the treatment centers he oversaw died of neglect.