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Interim Washington State Health Secretary Jessica Todorovic outlines priorities amid budget reductions
Summary
Jessica Todorovic, interim secretary of the Washington State Department of Health, told the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee on March 13 that the agency is realigning management and focusing on core public-health services while watching federal funding risks, including impacts on Medicaid.
Jessica Todorovic, interim secretary of the Washington State Department of Health, told the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee on March 13 that she is leading the agency through management realignment and budget reductions while preparing for a permanent secretary appointment.
Todorovic, who said she normally serves as chief of staff at the agency and has worked at the Department of Health for about 14 years, told senators she is focused on “being a steady force” during the transition to the new governor’s administration. "My goal during this time has just been to be a steady force as we walk through the new governor's administration and really working with them, supporting the governor's executive orders, working through the budget reductions," she said.
She said the department is reducing executive-team positions and consolidating resources to meet management-reduction requests and to concentrate on service delivery. "We're really focused on getting back to the core delivery of our public health services," Todorovic said.
Todorovic told the committee the department is monitoring federal policy changes that could reduce federal funding for state programs. "As we think about our budget reductions right now is to think about where we most vulnerable to lose federal funds," she said, citing Medicaid as one example. She said the department is mapping where federal reductions could create gaps and identifying state funding to backfill where necessary.
Todorovic invited legislators to contact the department’s legislative liaison, Kelly Cooper, with follow-up questions and thanked the committee for supporting public health. Committee members paused for questions and several exchanged brief remarks with Todorovic before moving on to the rest of the agenda.
Todorovic also referenced the agency’s post-COVID realignment and said the department is watching pharmacy and other partners closely as the agency implements changes.
