Womazetta Jones | |
---|---|
Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services | |
Assumed office July 2019 | |
Governor | Gina Raimondo |
Preceded by | Lisa Vura-Weis (acting) |
Personal details | |
Born | Chicago,Illinois | April 24,1969
Children | 3 |
Education | Western Illinois University (BS) Chicago State University (MA) |
Womazetta Robinson-Jones (born April 24,1969) is an American social services executive currently serving as the Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) of the State of Rhode Island. Jones was appointed by Governor Gina N. Raimondo [1] and confirmed by the Rhode Island Senate.
Jones was born and raised in Chicago,Illinois. In 1991,she graduated from Western Illinois University with a bachelor's degree in law enforcement administration and political science followed by a master's degree in psychology,counseling,and guidance earned from Chicago State University. [2] [1]
Jones began her career in 1991 as a social worker at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. [1] Throughout her career with DCFS,she served as a front line social worker,child welfare specialist,child protection investigator,supervisor for investigation teams,regional manager for investigation teams and training manager. Jones ultimately remained with the agency for over 15 years and became Deputy Chief for Child Protection and the Illinois Child Protection Statewide Training Manager. [2]
Jones also worked as an overseer of child protection for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. As director of the Safe Environment Office from 2007 to 2009,she was responsible for reforming the Archdiocese and protecting children after a priest abuse scandal. [1] Jones was responsible for an archdiocese-wide launch of new policies and practices to ensure the safety of children. This included enhanced background screening for all archdiocesan employees,clergy,educators,and ministers and implementing programs and initiatives that worked to keep children safe. [2]
She also spent time working for the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Foundation. [1]
Jones joined the Social Services Department of Ramsey County,Minnesota,the state's second-largest county,as Division Director for Children and Family Services in June 2013 and was promoted to director of social services for Ramsey County in 2016. In her role as director,Jones was responsible for overseeing protection for children and adults and providing support and treatment for disabilities,mental health,and substance abuse disorders along with services such as child protection,foster care,child care licensing,and adoptions. [3]
After a national search,Jones was introduced in May 2019 as Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo's selection for the cabinet-level position of Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. She started in her role on July 22,2019 after she was confirmed by the Senate. Jones replaced Lisa Vura-Weis who served as acting Secretary following the departure of former EOHHS Secretary Eric Beane. [3] [4]
Secretary Jones is responsible for administering state agencies that provide services worth billions of dollars to over 300,000 residents,one third of the population of the state. [4] [1] Her role oversees Rhode Island Medicaid,the Rhode Island Department of Health;the Rhode Island Department of Children,Youth and Families;the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare,Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals;and the Rhode Island Department of Human Services,including the Office of Veterans Affairs and Office of Healthy Aging. [3]
Secretary Jones left her position as Rhode Island EOHHS Secretary on May 1,2022. [5]
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the U.S. federal government created to protect the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is "Improving the health,safety,and well-being of America". Before the separate federal Department of Education was created in 1979,it was called the Department of Health,Education,and Welfare (HEW).
The Archdiocese of Chicago is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church located in Northeastern Illinois,in the United States. It was established as a diocese in 1843 and elevated to an archdiocese in 1880. It serves the more than 2.2 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties in the state of Illinois,an area of 1,411 square miles (3,650 km2). The archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries.
Catherine "Cathy" Bertini is an American public servant. She is the 2003 World Food Prize Laureate. She was the Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Program from 1992 to 2002. She served as the UN Under-Secretary for Management from 2003 to 2005. Currently she is a distinguished fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs,the Chair of the Board of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and the Chair of the Executive Board of the Crop Trust.
Catholic Charities is a network of charities with headquarters in Alexandria,Virginia. In 2005,Forbes magazine ranked it as the fifth largest charity in the United States in terms of total revenue. The organization serves millions of people a year,regardless of their religious,social,or economic backgrounds. In 2019,12 million persons were served at more than 2600 locations. Next to the federal government,Catholic Charities is the largest US social-safety-net provider.
Child protective services (CPS) is the name of a government agency in many states of the United States responsible for providing child protection,which includes responding to reports of child abuse or neglect. Some states use other names,often attempting to reflect more family-centered practices,such as department of children and family services (DCFS). CPS is also sometimes known by the name of department of social services,though these terms more often have a broader meaning.
Mary E. Flowers is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives and serves as the House Deputy Majority Leader. She represented the 31st district from January 9,1985 to January 13,1993,represented the 21st district from January 13,1993 to January 8,2003,and represents the 31st district again since January 8,2003. On January 14,2021,Flowers became the longest serving African-American legislator in Illinois history.
Elizabeth H. Roberts is an American politician who served as the 68th Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island from 2007 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party,she served in that position during the administrations of Republican Governor Donald Carcieri and Independent-turned Democrat Lincoln Chafee. She was elected in 2006,becoming the state's first female Lieutenant Governor and was succeeded by Daniel McKee on January 6,2015. She later served as Secretary of Health and Human Services during the administration of Governor Gina Raimondo,but subsequently resigned due to a widely criticized statewide computer system rollout.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is the agency in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania responsible for protecting and preserving the land,air,water,and public health through enforcement of the state's environmental laws. It was created by Act 18 of 1995,which split the Department of Environmental Resources into the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Its current acting secretary is Ramez Ziadeh.
Juvenile Protective Association (JPA) is a private non-profit agency devoted to protecting children from abuse and neglect by providing intervention and treatment services to families in Chicago.
Gina Marie Raimondo is an American politician and venture capitalist who has served as the 40th United States Secretary of Commerce since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party,she previously served as the 75th governor of Rhode Island from 2015 to 2021,and was the first woman to serve in the role.
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) is a Cabinet level agency under the Governor of Massachusetts. EOHHS is the largest secretariat in Massachusetts,and is responsible for the Medicaid program,child welfare,public health,disabilities,veterans’affairs,and elder affairs. In total,EOHHS oversees 17 state agencies.
The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) is an agency of the Wisconsin state government responsible for providing services to assist children and families and to oversee county offices handling those services. This includes child protective services,adoption and foster care services,and juvenile justice services. It also manages the licensing and regulation of facilities involved in the foster care and day care systems,performs background investigations of child care providers,and investigates incidents of potential child abuse or neglect. It administers the Wisconsin Works (W-2) program,the child care subsidy program,child support enforcement and paternity establishment services,and programs related to the federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) income support program.
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) is a program of the Administration for Children and Families,an office within the United States Department of Health and Human Services,created with the passing of the United States Refugee Act of 1980. The Office of Refugee Resettlement offers support for refugees seeking safe haven within the United States,including victims of human trafficking,those seeking asylum from persecution,survivors of torture and war,and unaccompanied alien children. The mission and purpose of the Office of Refugee Resettlement is to assist in the relocation process and provide needed services to individuals granted asylum within the United States.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is the code department of the Illinois state government responsible for child protective services. As of June 2019,Marc Smith is the acting Director of Children and Family Services.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Rhode Island on November 4,2014. All of Rhode Island's executive officers went up for election as well as a United States Senate seat and both of Rhode Island's two seats in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections were held on September 9,2014.
Eloise Anderson is an American politician and social worker who served as the Wisconsin Secretary of Children and Families from 2011 until 2019. Anderson has been an influential voice opposed to conventional welfare programs in the United States. Radio host Charlie Sykes has referred to Anderson as a "Conservative Warrior in Fight Against Poverty."
Kimberly Ricketts is a New Jersey politician. She served as New Jersey's Commissioner of Families and Children under Governor Jon Corzine.
Heartland Alliance is an anti-poverty organization based in Chicago,with a historical focus on serving American immigrant communities. Heartland Alliance devotes the bulk of its funding to initiatives that address poverty through health and housing,with further programs centered on jobs,justice,and international work. Heartland Alliance's 72 programs are run by constituent companies Heartland International,Heartland Alliance Health,Inc.,Heartland Alliance Housing,Inc.,and Heartland Alliance Human Care Services. Heartland Alliance also includes a Policy &Advocacy Team,Social Impact Research Center,National Initiatives,and the National Immigrant Justice Center. As a 501(c)(3),Heartland does not endorse candidates for political office.
Trista Piccola served as the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Children,Youth &Families from January 2017 until July 2019. Her term was marked by the death and near-deaths of children,high staff turn-over rates,votes of no confidence,and high budget deficits.
The Executive Office of Health and Human Services is a cabinet-level agency in Rhode Island. The current EOHHS Secretary is Womazetta Jones.