Milwaukee Health Department staffer ousted after problems with family planning, breast cancer screening programs
A top Milwaukee Health Department staffer who oversaw the city's problem-plagued family planning and cancer screening programs has been ousted from the agency.
Tasha Jenkins, who served as the city's director of family and community health, lost her job in December.
Jenkins, who made about $94,000 per year, was responsible for Milwaukee's family planning and cancer screening programs, both of which struggled last year to provide key services to city residents.
"Those division directors are appointed positions, so they serve at the pleasure of the commissioner," Health Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik told the Journal Sentinel. "Honestly, I didn't want to make any sweeping changes until the reorganization (of the agency), but that one, in particular, I couldn't wait on."
Jenkins could not be reached immediately for comment.
Family planning, which aims to help people avoid unintended pregnancies with contraceptives and other services, had for years been provided at two city clinics, the Southside Health Center and Keenan Health Center. But those services were disrupted in January 2018 due to contract mismanagement, said Kowalik, who took over the troubled agency in September.
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Then in April, troubles with the city's breast and cervical cancer screening program forced city workers to create a waiting list for women. At one point, the waiting list grew to more than 100 women, some of whom had symptoms such as lumps in their breasts.
Some of those women were referred to other providers, while others waited for services from the city.
That program, known as Well Woman, provides cancer screenings and other services to women with little or no health insurance coverage. It pays for mammograms, pap tests and cervical cancer screenings as well as other tests for high-risk women. .
Troubles with the agency's family planning and Well Woman programs came to light shortly after the public learned about serious problems with the department's program aimed at preventing lead poisoning among Milwaukee children.
Jenkins was hired in March 2017 by then-Health Commissioner Bevan Baker, who was ousted from his job in January 2018 as news broke that the agency had failed to provide follow-up services to the families of lead-poisoned children.
Another top health official, Lisa Lien, decided to resign rather than be fired in July. Richard Gaeta, who like Lien played a key role in the city's lead-poisoning prevention program, was fired the following month.
Jenkins, who has a bachelor's degree in economics, got the $93,593 per year job through an exempt appointment, meaning it wasn't subject to civil service rules, according to her personnel file, which was obtained by the Journal Sentinel through an open records request.
Jenkins was disciplined last fall by Interim Health Commissioner Patricia McManus.
That move came after investigators found that Jenkins violated the department's rules against engaging "in conduct which is offensive in conduct or language towards the public or towards city officers or employees."
Both Jenkins and Tiffany Barta faced discipline following a personnel investigation triggered by a complaint from a colleague. That investigation was led by the Milwaukee law firm Crivello Carlson.
Jenkins received just a written warning at that time.
Barta, who was suspended for five days, is still working for the Health Department.
Jenkins previously received a verbal warning from McManus in July 2018. At the time, McManus said Jenkins needed to ensure that "all information provided to the media has been validated for accuracy and reviewed with me before being released from the department," records show.
Kowalik said a broader reorganization of the agency is underway.
"It's going take us a while to get us to a place of being fully functional and operational, which is the priority of the Mayor's Office and the Common Council and us," Kowalik said. "We really want to move forward."