The Mess at DPH: Harris Resigned in April, Rescinded 4 Days Later.
The global pandemic roiled the upper ranks of the state’s Department of Public Health (DPH) was more extensive than previously known as the toll the crisis took at state-regulated nursing homes grew at a staggering pace.
On March 6th, Susan Roman, the department’s deputy commissioner in charge of the state’s response to the approaching disaster, quit while alleging she had been the target of racial discrimination. Roman left the day she resigned.
Five weeks later, on April 13th, DPH Director of Communications and Government Relations Av Harris submitted his resignation. Harris notified Commissioner Renee D. Coleman-Mitchell, who was canned by Governor Ned Lamont last week, that effective May 7th he was resigning his position. “I will be starting a a new professional opportunity in my home state of Massachusetts,” Harris wrote.
By April 13th, state officials estimated there had been 602 COVID-19-associated deaths, while 1760 patients were hospitalized with the unique coronavirus. State officials were expecting the pandemic to peak in Connecticut two weeks later. Coleman-Mitchell and her staff had been sidelined in the Lamont administration’s public response to the virus, a bewildering development as public health officials stepped into the spotlight to inform and reassure cities, states, and the nation.
On April 17th, Harris “upon further reflection” rescinded his resignation, pledging that he was “fully committed to continuing to serve as part of the team….” Harris said Monday that the new job “did not end up working out. So I rescinded my notice and I am happy to stay in my role at DPH.”
Harris added in a subsequent message, “We are doing important work and I want to continue being part of the response to the worst pandemic any of us have seen in our lifetime.” Harris has done stints with secretaries of state Susan Bysiewicz and Denise Merrill, a short gig with former state treasurer Denise Nappier, and a tour of duty with Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim, who challenged Lamont in the 2018 Democratic primary for governor.
The Hartford Courant’s Dave Altimari reported in a chilling Sunday story that a survey of 350 DPH employees conducted in January and February found widespread discontent and alarm at DPH’s leadership. Lamont’s actions during the last two months have confirmed the rank-and-file’s frustrating experience at DPH.
The department will require more than a new commissioner when Lamont steadies his own erratic response to reopening Connecticut’s economy.