Lee D. Grossi, a former state budget officer with experience in the R.I. Department of Human Services and the R.I. Department of Children, Youth and Families, has been named interim secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Gov. Donald L. Carcieri announced last week.
Grossi, who replaces Jane Hayward, has agreed to serve without a salary.
In a news release, Carcieri cited Grossi’s budget expertise as well as his familiarity with programs offered at DHS and DCYF. Grossi served as a state budget officer from 1985 to 1990, associate director of DHS from 1990 to 1995 and associate director of DCYF from 1979 to 1982 and again from 1995 to 1997.
Grossi has also worked for the Diocese of Providence and the De La Salle Christian Brothers. At the governor’s request, he also helped perform a review of DCYF financial operations. He’s assuming his new role at a particularly delicate time.
“Rhode Island’s health and human service programs are at a crossroads,” Carcieri said. “Human service programs offered at five state departments make up the lion’s share of the state budget, while the costs of those programs are growing every year. At the same time, the state is facing yet another serious budget deficit.”
“I look forward to this opportunity to serve our state and our governor, and to lend my expertise to help bring greater efficiency to the human service programs I love,” Grossi said.
Hayward, announced earlier this month that she would retire on Oct. 5.
“Given the realities of budget development in this very serious fiscal environment, your administration will require consistent leadership over the development and implementation of the fiscal year 2009 and subsequent budgets and initiatives across the health and human services departments,” Hayward wrote in a letter to the governor.
Carcieri created the secretariat in 2004 and appointed Hayward to the position with the stated goal of coordinating activities and services among the five human service departments. •
