Heather Griffith Peterson resigned as COO of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission in the wake of a report by the State Auditor's Office showing the mismanagement of state contracts with Genesis Systems, according to The Texas Tribune.
The State Auditor's Office report criticized the commission and the Department of State Health Services for improperly handling the contract with Genesis, which was charged with working with the state's birth and death records system. The report's authors alleged misreporting, inaccurate calculations and a failure to get proper approval for contract exemptions.
Carrie Williams, a spokesperson for the commission, said Chief Policy Officer Victoria Ford will take over as interim COO.
"Our focus is on strengthening our procurement system and continuing the good work of the agency," Ms. Williams told The Texas Tribune. "Our central priority is always taking care of the health of Texans. Nothing is more important to us right now that continuing to provide services to the people who need them."