LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Elizabeth Hertel is moving on.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that Hertel’s last day will be June 30. Amy Epkey will become the MDHHS director on July 1.

Whitmer said in a statement about Hertel, “Under her leadership, MDHHS helped Michigan navigate unprecedented challenges, expanded access to health care, strengthened behavioral health services, and improved outcomes for families across our state.”

Hertel joined the department in 2021. That same year, she turned up  in Orange Beach, Alabama, for spring break after telling Michigan residents not to travel because of COVID-19.

There’s no love lost between Hertel and State Rep. John Roth (R-Interlochen).

“Hertel’s tenure as director of MDHHS has been a catastrophe, and the news of her departure is more than welcome,” Roth said.

He continued, criticizing what he called Hertel’s “ineptitude.”

“Hertel repeatedly and deliberately ignored serious crises within youth rehabilitation programs throughout the state. Youth and staff alike deserve treatment environments that guarantee both dignity and safety, yet severe failings continue to be reported. The blatant ineptitude of Hertel’s leadership put lives at risk,” Roth said.