ORLANDO, Fla. — The head of Florida's Dept. of Children and Families is resigning, and Gov. Ron DeSantis is shaking up two agencies to replace him. In addition, Department of Management Services Secretary Jonathan Satter resigned January 5.

What You Need To Know

  • Chad Poppell was made DCF secretary in 2019

  • Shevaun Harris will take over DCF going forward; former acting head of AHCA

  • Simone Marstiller will take over AHCA

DCF Secretary Chad Poppell submitted his resignation Friday, telling the governor his last day will be February 19, 2021.

"Thank you for our call this week, as we discussed, it is time for me to step aside and let the next Secretary continue the journey you set for DCF upon coming into office," Secretary Poppell wrote in his letter.

 

Satter remains on the job, but it is unknown for how long.

Poppell was DCF secretary for two years. He said DCF had scored numerous wins in that time, including "fundamentally changing DCF's role in driving performance through landmark legislation, to strengthening the child welfare and mental health systems for our most vulnerable, to fully embracing the state's faith-based communities to meet the needs of the foster care system."

Shevaun Harris, the acting secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, will now take over DCF.

In leading DCF, Harris will oversee a wide spectrum of responsibilities, including investigating allegations of abuse against children and seniors, handling the foster care system, overseeing state mental hospitals, and the distribution of SNAP (food stamp) benefits.

Meanwhile, former judge Simone Marstiller will leave her role as secretary of the Florida Dept. of Juvenile Justice to become secretary of Florida AHCA.

Governor DeSantis first tapped Marstiller in 2019 to lead Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, where she has served as secretary for the past two years.

Marstiller replaces Mary Mayhew who left in September 2020 to run the Orlando-based Florida Hospital Association.

AHCA is in charge of administering the state's Medicaid programs and services, but also oversees health care facilities and nursing homes.

DJJ's chief of staff Josie Tamoayo will serve as acting secretary of DJJ for the interim period.