Barbie Robinson, formerly the top official at Harris County Public Health, has been dismissed following a Houston Chronicle investigation into the department's hiring of DEMA Consulting & Management, a California-based for-profit company. Documents reviewed by the Chronicle reveal that Robinson, who joined the department in the spring of 2021, used the company to run two COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites and later awarded them a public health contract to address some nonviolent 911 calls with medical and social workers. Concerns were raised over potential conflicts of interest and pre-award communications, which suggested DEMA may have anticipated winning the contract before it was finalized, as reported by the Houston Chronicle.
According to ABC13, Robinson's connections with DEMA and the company's unexpected edge over The Harris Center, a state mental health services agency, in the contract bidding process called her impartiality into question, with DEMA's statement claiming ignorance of Harris County Public Health's internal processes coming under scrutiny. Amidst the unfolding story, Commissioner Tom Ramsey voiced his disapproval, stating that he has voted against all DEMA-related agenda items, citing a lack of transparency and accountability, and raising questions about why a company from Northern California would be conducting business in a region known for its robust health and medical sector.
The controversy took a turn when DEMA Consulting & Management, hit b setbacks in California and faced an audit, that called into question as much as $11 million in billed work without sufficient documentation subsequently, Harris County officials too launched an audit and discussed the future of the 911 diversion program without DEMA's involvement, as noted in a communication sent by Robinson on August 9, stating that program hours were being cut back.
In response to the controversy, Harris County Administrator Diana Ramirez issued a statement, as seen on both the Houston Chronicle and ABC13, which acknowledged the termination of Robinson's employment but did not directly link it to the DEMA contract controversy, Ramirez stated, "Today, I made the difficult decision to dismiss Barbie Robinson from her role as Executive Director of Harris County Public Health. We remain committed to the health and well-being of our community. To ensure continuity of leadership, Deputy County Administrator Leah Barton will step in as Interim Executive Director of Harris County Public Health. We are launching a national search immediately to find a new Executive Director who will continue to drive our mission forward. Our focus remains on serving the people of Harris County in alignment with our countywide goals and guiding principles. I appreciate the hard work of our Harris County Public Health team and their continued commitment during this transition."
