After 1 Month on the Job, Maine's Chief Health Officer Resigns

Dr. Sheila Pinette has resigned as the state's chief health officer a month after taking the job, hastening an organizational shakeup at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

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By Jackie Farwell

Dr. Sheila Pinette has resigned as the state's chief health officer a month after taking the job, hastening an organizational shakeup at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

Pinette has served as the state's top public health official since 2011. She oversaw the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention during recent controversies, including a document-shredding scandal and the agency's failed attempt to quarantine Kaci Hickox, a nurse who returned to Maine after treating Ebola patients in West Africa.

In late February, Pinette announced her departure from Maine CDC, an office of DHHS, to become chief health officer for the broader department. That role appeared to be a new position within DHHS, as the CDC director has long been considered the state's top public health bureaucrat.

Pinette said Tuesday that she resigned voluntarily and plans to spend time with family while reflecting on new opportunities that might "come her way."

"I just think it's time," she said. "I just want to move forward."

The recent controversies at Maine CDC played no role in her decision to leave, Pinette said.

"I feel very confident and strong that we always did the right thing," she said. "I move forward with my head held high knowing that we kept our focus on honesty and truth, and I support the administration."

DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew said in a statement that Pinette agreed to contract with the state to provide epidemiology services. But Pinette said that decision wasn't yet final.

"I'm not so sure about that right now, we will talk about that," Pinette said.

Mayhew has expressed confidence in the department's epidemiologists -- tasked with preventing and responding to infectious disease outbreaks, among other responsibilities -- despite criticism over significant staff vacancies at Maine CDC. The governor's proposed budget would eliminate nearly 40 vacant positions in the agency, or 11 percent of its workforce.

Mayhew credited Pinette's "dedicated service" and said she appreciated her "many contributions in key areas of public health."

Pinette's last day will be Friday, she said, confirming a March 20 memo about her departure from Kenneth Albert, her replacement as Maine CDC director, which was obtained by the Bangor Daily News.

Dr. Christopher Pezzullo has been named acting chief health officer at DHHS. He joined Maine CDC in 2012 as medical director for the division of population health.

Before working in state government, he served as a medical director of university health care at the University of New England, where he earned his doctor of osteopathic medicine. He began his medical career as a pediatrician at the UNE College of Osteopathic Medicine and later served as the acting chief of the pediatrics department, the memo states.

"I wish him luck. He's very capable," Pinette said.

Pezzullo will continue to assist in covering the responsibilities of the state epidemiologist, while Maine CDC recruits for that position, according to Albert's memo. Maine has lacked a state epidemiologist since the job was vacated last June.

"The level of clinical expertise at the Maine CDC remains strong," Mayhew said. "I look forward to the contributions of Dr. Pezzullo ... and we continue to move forward to fill the state epidemiologist's position."

As chief health officer, Pinette planned to focus on "clinical outcomes in various populations through engagement of key public and private health system participants" and "work across the provider community to support the department's vision of integrated physical and behavioral health care," according to a February memo from Mayhew. Pinette was expected to address the issues of drug-affected newborns, infant mortality and "other pressing public health concerns."

At Maine CDC, Albert took responsibility for the agency's management while Pinette continued to oversee the state's public health strategy as chief health officer. Historically, the CDC director has served as the public face of that strategy.

Maine CDC is responsible for monitoring and responding to infectious disease outbreaks, vaccine promotion, drinking water safety, poison prevention, nutrition education and efforts to manage chronic diseases, among other health and safety programs.

About the same time she accepted the chief health officer position, Pinette agreed to settle a federal whistleblower lawsuit stemming from the document-shredding scandal. A former employee alleged that the agency retaliated against her for refusing to destroy public documents related to funding for a state health promotion program. In agreeing to settle, Pinette, along with DHHS and other CDC officials, admitted to no wrongdoing.

Before joining Maine CDC, Pinette ran her own internal medicine practice in Cape Elizabeth. A UNE graduate, she formerly worked with women facing high-risk pregnancies.

Upon taking the CDC director job, she said she hoped to strengthen the state's public health system and the community partnerships that support it. While describing herself as conservative at the time, Pinette also said she was "not a political animal" and didn't wish to become embroiled in the conservative stances of Gov. Paul LePage's administration.

Pinette highlighted several achievements during her time at Maine CDC, including a continued decrease in teen smoking, setting priorities for mental health and substance abuse treatment, and combatting obesity.

She maintained a part-time clinical position in maternal-fetal medicine at Maine Medical Center in Portland while working for state government. Pinette said she plans to continue in that position while she seeks other opportunities.

(c)2015 the Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine)

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