Jodi Harpstead took over as commissioner of the Department of Human Services in September.
Since her arrival, most news about the department has been negative: more than $100 million in overpayments or refunds; breaking state procurement law more than 200 times, including letting vendors and grantees begin work before a contract was signed; employees spending money on products and/or services without prior approval, although there’s been no evidence money was misspent; allegations of whistleblower retaliation; and the recently closed investigation into former Inspector General Carolyn Ham.
Ham, placed on paid administrative leave for many months, was not disciplined and has been reassigned to the general counsel’s office.