DHHR announces structure changes, hiring freeze

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Additional changes as a result of an organizational study of the West Virginia DHHR were announced Wednesday by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources’ Cabinet Secretary.

DHHR is centralizing the reporting structures of the staff who work in the job functions of Finance, Management Information Services, Human Resources Management and Purchasing. Finance staff in each bureau and office will report to Tara Buckner, DHHR’s Chief Financial Officer; technology staff will report to Shaun Charles, DHHR’s Chief Information Officer; purchasing staff will report to Warren Keefer, Director of the Office of Administration; and all human resources staff will report to Angie Ferris, DHHR’s Director of the Office of Human Resources Management.

DHHR has also instituted a temporary hiring freeze.

Positions of critical need will still be filled, but requests to hire must be approved by the respective Deputy Secretary and sent to the Office of Human Resources Management for review and final approval by the Secretary.

“DHHR has important work to do to help the residents of West Virginia,” said Crouch. “We strongly believe that these organizational changes are steps in the right direction, and we will continue to make wise decisions going forward. By getting the right people in the right places, we continue the critically important work of the Department to meet the needs of both the people and the State of West Virginia.”

The McChrystal Group conducted the study at the direction of Gov. Jim Justice.

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