State Health Officer Leaving after 23 Years
[gtxvideo vid=”u7smzSTV” playlist=”” pid=”XiOflQdH” thumb=”http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/u7smzSTV.jpg” vtitle=”State Health Officer Dr. Don Williamson Stepping Down”]
Alabama’s longtime health officer is leaving the state to become president of the Alabama Hospital Association.
Dr. Don Williamson told The Associated Press on Wednesday he will step down as head of the Alabama Department of Public Health.
The Alabama Hospital Association says Williamson will take over as president of the private organization around November.
Williamson has been state health officer since 1992, and he’s also chair of the Alabama Medicaid Transition Task Force.
Williamson for several years has held two of the largest jobs in state government. He led the work to transition the state’s Medicaid program to managed care in a state that has struggles every year to fund Medicaid.
Gov. Robert Bentley released a statement on Williamson’s service to the state:
“Dr. Don Williamson has been an outstanding public servant, and a dedicated member of my team. At a time when our Medicaid Agency needed major reform, Dr. Williamson more than three years ago stepped up and led the charge to make our Medicaid Agency stronger and more effective for the patients enrolled.”
“We still have challenges to address at Medicaid, including agency funding and full implementation of the regional care organizations. I know as Dr. Williamson transitions out of his role as Chair of the Medicaid Transition Task Force, he will work closely with Acting Medicaid Commissioner Stephanie Azar on a smooth transition.”
“I congratulate Dr. Williamson on his retirement, and I look forward to working with him in a new role with the Alabama Hospital Association,” Bentley said.
Lawmakers on Wednesday were debating a large funding cut to the state’s Medicaid program.
State Health Officer Don Williamson says he wasn’t looking for a job but was given an opportunity.
He says this past July has been one of the toughest Julys he’s ever had as he was trying to make a decision about his future.
“I also realized that if I was ever going to do anything different, I had to do it when I was 60. I didn’t need to plan a second career at 66 or 67,” said Williamson.
Willamson admits the past three years juggling everything, including funding from the legislature has been tough.
“Trying to be State Health Officer, run the Department of Public Health and still make a difference at Medicaid, it’s been very time consuming. Plus, I think the team at Medicaid working with commissioner Azar, we’ve made a real difference in the transformation,” said Williamson.
To the people who have worked for him over the past 23 years, he says he has something he’d like to tell them.
“Thank you. You’ve made me a better person. You have made me a better health officer. But it’s been your work, not mine, that’s made this state better,” said Williamson.
(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
