Embattled DCF chief Lucy Hadi retires

DCF Secretary Lucy Hadi submitted a letter today to Gov. Bush, saying she has decided to retire at the end of January.

"The decision to retire from state service does not mean that I have decided to care less passionately about the Floridians who depend on DCF to deliver or fund services," she wrote. "Nor will I ever cease to care about and advocate for the wonderful team of dedicated staff and partners who deliver those services. However, it is time for me to do my advocacy from a different place." Read the letter > hadi_resignation.pdf.

Hadi had come under intense pressure amid a battle with Pinellas Circuit Judge Crockett Farnell, who on Thursday fined her $80,000 for failing to remove mentally ill inmates from the Pinellas County Jail.

The fine was in addition to criminal contempt charges Hadi already faces for keeping mentally ill inmates in jail - rather than in a state hospital - longer than Florida law allows.

Comments

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead

[jim]

about time someone cares about those who are suffering!!!
i am taking care of my mother, 91, who has alzheimers, and is in the final stages, so i know what mentally ill is....and prison is not the answer!!!!

Luci is a good lady.

Lucy used her perch in the Governor's office to undermine a very decent man, Jerry Regier. She then got what she wanted, then what she deserved. Justice is alive and well in Tallahassee.

5:09 You are dead wrong on both counts.

Jim,

I agree with you sounds like she did show sound judgement when dealing with the mental ill.

Lucy is a shining star - she will be missed. I hope she lands back in the process again. She was one of the best Secretaries in history.

She was a cold and ruthless person who cared about her own ambitions--would love to know who on the transition team is smart enough to get rid of her.

anyone heard any rumors on who will replace her. How about the other agency head positions?

[Sandy]

Who is supporting her in this post...her mother? This issue is why you see people holding up signs for change outside.

Ms. Hadi was the best to sit in that chair in memory. Only the chronically stupid will fail to see that she cannot spend money the Governor and Legislature refuse to give DCF for those in need. The problem is Florida voters who continue to re-elect the "ruthless" politicians who cause these problems. Thanks you Ms. Hadi for doing an impossible job incredibly well. You WILL be missed

Hadi ran off some bad actors in DCF, but she also brought in some incompetent hangers on. DCF needs a good purging. Whatever part of Behavioral Health that Hadi did not destroy belongs over in the Department of Health. Crist needs someone with the cajones to tell the legislature what the needs are. He doesn't need another Toni Jennings ward healer. And anyone who says that Hadi was the best Secretary in recent memory either has Alzheimer's or fell off the turnip truck last night. The folks in Florida who are about children are whooping it up tonight.

According to the Miami Herald, Hadi's resignation followed her meeting with the Crist transition people. A week earlier Hadi was saying that she wanted to stay on. The CBC folks throughout the state feel that Hadi has been hostile to their programs and doesn't play with all of the cards on the table. Seems as if one of the CBC folks is on the Crist transition. Great move because Crist doesn't need all of Hadi's baggage.

[Mary Murphy]

My son was one that was failed by the system. His attorney was ordered to find him placement in a mental facility, kept in jail 45 days, then released unexpectedly and hung himself 6 days after his release on Aug 4th of this year. Did she cause his death, no... the illness did, did she assist him, she sure did by failing to do her job properly.

Since the days of the Department of Family Services (pre-HRS), Lucy Hadi is the worst Secretary ever. Yes, even more damaging to the people she was sworn to serve than Kate Kearney or Ed Feaver. But there have been some greats, including Greg Coler. Bob Williams was good and so was Ollie Keller - but he didn't last too long. But from this inside looking out, Hadi did terrible damage to the system. Melissa Jaacks the Deputy of Administration is good, but it is going to take more than her to repair Hadi's mess. Helpless people by have been hurt and have died. DCF is in absolute turmoil. Jeb Bush should hang his head in shame.

Her biggest problem was loyalty to Bush who brouht turmoil to all of state government and Florida by forcing reductions in state service, shifting funds and the tax burden in favor of who don't need it only so he has some good lies for his presidential compaign to come. How can so many of you confuse the culprit from the messanger? Use your heads.

[Mike Ranne]

I worked with Hadi over a 25 year period. She was dishonest and politically motivated from the day she walked in the door.I hope Governor Crist understands that her management team in the Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health also needs to be " terminated with extreme predjudice."

The distrust and hatred of Lucy Hadi runs deep with the child welfare and especially the mental health community. She was feared and few state employees could risk alienating her. Now that she is on the way out you will hear more and more about her devious and destructive nature. I have followed her career since she started with HRS almost 36 years ago. Lucy has always been about Lucy and control. She is from the dark side.

The head is misleading. Hadi didn't retire, she was fired by the Crist transition team.

look at the transition team and you'll see why she is gone...... problem is, who will have the ##### to lead that agency????

[fred]

Non-career politicians/employees need be appointed to head DCF. Granting a promotion to one within the system prevents change.
Christ would do well to appoint someone who understands that "what FL does to the least of its citizens it does to all its citizens."
The administrative process impacts more citizens than the political process.

[Lauren]

This is to bad. She was forced out. It's not Luci's fault there was no room in the community for this at-risk population. It goes way above her head. When they closed Arcadia, these folks were thrown to the streets. I have class members that use that exact expression all of the time, "Thrown to the streets to fend for ourselves like animals". And then we get the budget cuts...no reimbursement for transportation to assist these clients that can't get to psych appointments without our help....so we still help...and then...as non-profits...we take the loss...and as we are seeing, after reviewing our annual budget and comparing it to last year, we're getting hit hard..but we don't stop helping, we keep going... There is a real problem out there folks. It is much bigger than Luci. I'll eat my words if they can fill her shoes and they get the inmates out of jail within 6 months of filling the position. Forget 15 days. It's not going to happen people! There is just no place to put them. $5 million won't fix it..it won't even put a dent in the problem we have. The severe and persistently mentally ill population is continuing to grow. The placement for this delicate population, on the other hand, is shrinking!

Former Representive Sandy Murman would be the ideal person to head this very difficult agency. Murman would bring with her a thoughful, thorough approach, providing excellent managerial skills and leadership. Furthermore, she has an excellent rapport with the legislative leaders which would enable her to hit the ground running.

Nice try Sandy. You never seem to give up. You tried the same thing with Jeb and he didn't bite. You even tried to get Jerry Regier to hire you as his Deputy. What management experience do you have that you think qualifies you for the toughest appointive job in state government?

Part of Jeb's wretched, terrible DCF legacy, finally gone.

[Lifelong Republican]

7:27 PM - is right on. You clueless bloggers don't know crap about this agency. She is a lifelong DEMOCRAT who everyone in the Executive and Legislative process respected and feared. That's a good thing in this town of 44" waistlines and slick hair. No one messed with Lucy and when you run THE child welfare agency for the state, that's a good thing. She is irreplaceable. Now my classy fellow bloggers are talking about former legislators or other hacks to head this agency. It's not possible to succeed. One child, in one FL county, on one block of one trouble neighborhood is the responsibility of the Secretary at DCF. If anything happens to this child, like he/she's missing a fingernail, it's on the Secretary's watch and she'll have to explain it. This is the toughest job in state government. I applaud anyone who thinks they've got one small spec of Lucy's titanium n_ts. Oh, and the staff at DCF, the Legislature (look at Democratic Leader Gelber's remark or go ask Skip Campbell), the front office of the Governor and the IMPORTANT courts all respected the hell out of Lucy.
Now, our state, our children are going to get a political hack who is well intentioned, but cannot run this agency.
Reforms still need to come to this agency - their computer shop is full of crooks still handing out contracts (remember what lead to Reiger's firing) - but i don't believe you'll see a quality appointment by Charlie. His transition team is full of hacks and political donors.

Hopefully the transition team will not only fire all the dept heads but all upper management in the various departments. JEB created the SMS which was totally illogical to bring in people in mid management, did not pay them much and tasked them with supervising employees who were paid more than they were and union workers. In addition the dept heads were directly in control of the new SMS staff so it is difficult to get anything done. The invention of the SMS was a formula for diaster. To give someone a title with the neccessary authority and support to make a change equals diaster.

Lucy Hadi got what she asked for and that was the Secretary of DCF - now she is getting what she deserves - a disgraceful resignation from a failing agency that she so desired to run. She has been in office for two years and I ask you to tell me what she has accomplished that was not an extension of the previous administration. The HSN project that she so proudly announced would be completed under her reign is still not completed. The same contractor that was chosen by the previous administration won the contract the second time. The only difference is the project would have been completed if propaganda did not stop those who bucked the good old boys system. Lucy Hadi now sings a different song about how she wants to retire when only two weeks ago she was lobbying hard to keep her job. Why would someone who is in control of making the greatest change in social services in the state of Florida relinquish that power and role to be a volunteer? Stand up like a leader and say I am quitting because I failed in completing what I promised - I am quitting because despite my criticism of the previous administration I accomplished less then they did with all the road blocks in front of them and I am quitting because I let the citizens of the state of Florida down.

I'm not disappointed that Southern Strategy didn't get another contract.

"What she asked for". What are you talking about? She didn't ask for anything, that's what THIS (DCF) agency needs to do - lay low and keep any smoke from emitting from the chimney. That's it!

[Alicia]

As a former fosterkid I would like to say that I really wish I could thank this judge. There are so many kids, let alone mentally ill patients that suffer in the hands of their own government, and no one does anything or listens. This judge has great courage for what he is doing, and if we do not agree with it then we should do something about it. Not sit, and talk about how terrible the system is. There is no excuse to let people suffer because there is no money. Were is our tax dollars going? To Jeb Bush so he can go get Starbucks. I just find it hard to believe that they had no money. Besides this has been months possibly years they could have fixed this problem, but since they are government workers they think they can get away with murder. I would be mentally ill to if I were sitting in a cell that long, in some small space. It is about time someone see's what is going on here. It is time for people to feel the heat instead of getting special favors.

[Sam]

I will be there transition team, and transition them out of here. I have to wounder about the intelligence, and generosity of those in government.

Trivial pursuit: Name the only three Departments of Florida government that were scandal free during the two terms of the Jeb Bush administration.

Dept of Revenue, Veteran's Affairs and the Citrus Commission??

[All scandall]

There is no such department.

[All scandall]

There is no such department.

[fran]

Names being considered Greg Keller. He may be the best operations manager in the world and may have been the secret behind lucy watching over all the children in the state. I expect Greg Keller to be announced Secretary.

[Hank Lech]

Luci was a psycho. She was unethical, dishonest, and cold blooded. She hates men

Secretary Hadi's unfortunate resignation is a great loss to Florida and Florida's future. She has served well as the Secretary for the Department of Children and Families.

She helped to make DCF into a better agency. But as with all human endeavors, in particular complex ones like DCF, further improvements will always be needed.

So much venom on this thread. I didn't know she had so many enemies and dissatified critics.

Can the accusors provide substantiated proof or evidence? Or only allegations?

[Former Foster Runaway]

People in control of DCF either have to be stupid, or just in it for the money. I been through 28 foster homes with abuse going on, and a majority of kids run away, or and up in jail. DCF does not care they never did for me or anyone else I been with. This agency is really screwed up if she is head of it then it is a blessing she is gone.

[I Care]

I am really disgusted with people who constantly look for reasons to attack DCF. You cannot imagine how difficult it is to have the responsibility for seeking out ways to care for people who need help. No one ever gives DCF credit for all of the good work they do and are constantly trying to find more ways to reach out to our people in need. Caseworkers are always stressed out at having to make judgement calls when NO ONE can know what is going to happen when they walk out the door. If you think you can do a better job then by all means please apply because the turnover in that area is great...because people care and they can only take so much sadness. Think about how many cases you could stomach where babies are being beat, bones are broken, and they die at the hands of an unlikely person...their own mother or father. Sure, sometimes there are obvious indications of abuse but many times everything seems to be okay, like I said it is a call that can be a torture to live with. Try leaving that job at the office. It is easy to sit back and judge but know this, no matter what people do and no one is perfect, the majority of the DCF staff are dedicated to helping make things better for the people in our communities that are suffering or in need of care. The staff has been cut and freezes placed on hiring, and cuts continue with demands increasing. It is a recipe for disaster that no one person can affect.