Dr. McDonald to lead New York Department of Health 5 months after leaving Rhode Island

5 months after leaving Rhode Island to be closer to his parents dealing with health issues, and caring for his family, Dr. James McDonald will lead the New York State Department of Health as their Acting Commissioner starting January 1, 2023. There is a national search underway for a permanent commissioner. McDonald worked for 10 years for the RI Department of Health (RIDOH) here.

Dr. McDonald has been serving as the Medical Director of DOH’s Office of Public Health and Interim Director of the Center for Community Health, part of the Office of Public Health since July.

Dr. McDonald said, “I want to thank Governor Hochul for entrusting me with leading DOH during this transition. It will be a privilege to follow Dr. Bassett in serving the people of New York in this role and continue to work alongside the thousands of DOH employees whose efforts protect the health of everyone in this state.” Current New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said, “Dr. McDonald is an unflappable leader and generous colleague, with broad knowledge and deep experience. He is perfectly suited to lead this transition. I wish him luck and want to thank Gov. Hochul again for having given me the opportunity to serve as Health Commissioner.”

During his 10 years at RIDOH, Dr. McDonald carried out a wide variety of duties encompassing every area of the Department, including leading the state medical licensing board, Medical Director for the state overdose prevention program, prescription drug monitoring program and leadership roles in health policy, legislative affairs, and facility regulation, and being the lead expert in successful litigation against opioid manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors, bringing more than $250 million in funding to Rhode Island over 18 years. His most public position where he was known for his humorous and down-to-earth advice giving, was as acting director of RIDOH during the COVID crisis, following Dr. Alexander-Scott’s resignation.

In New York Dr. McDonald has played a key role in the Department’s ongoing rebuilding effort, and represented DOH in meetings with the CDC and White House and has served as New York’s representative to the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

Dr. McDonald earned his M.D. from Loyola Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago in 1990, completed a pediatric residency in the U.S. Navy and a preventive medicine residency at SUNY Albany. He earned his MPH from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Dr. McDonald is board certified in pediatrics as well as preventive medicine. His diverse career includes serving as an officer in the U.S. Navy and working in private practice in a variety of rural areas, including the Navajo Nation. Dr. McDonald is originally from Cohoes, N.Y., and currently lives in Latham with his wife and three children.

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Leaving Rhode Island

When Dr. McDonald left his Rhode Island position, Governor McKee said, “Thanks to Dr. McDonald and his team, we know we have the tools to keep ourselves and our families safe. I thank Dr. McDonald for stepping up and taking on this interim position. We will be keeping his family in our thoughts.”

Dr. McDonald submitted a lengthy letter of resignation in Rhode Island, detailing his family issues as the reason for his departure – “My family life has changed significantly since we spoke about me being Interim Director in January of 2022. These changes have compelled me to spend substantial time in thought, prayer, and painful deliberation. As you know, family is important to me. As with many Rhode Islanders, I have a family member who suffers from Alzheimer’s, specifically my mom. Although you have never met my mom, I can assure you she is an amazing woman. She raised six successful sons, owned a business for over 50 years and was a vibrant community leader. At this point in her disease, she still knows who I am, and is still happy to see me and my family, yet I am not certain how long this will be the case.

My dad, the ever-faithful support during all of our lives, is challenged at age 91 to help my mom and maintain his health. It is evident to me; they need more help, help we can and should give them.

Additionally, as I reflect on my children, specifically my sons who have very different forms of autism, I see more and more the need for them to be surrounded by extended family. Autism is a complex syndrome, and in addition to the communication and socialization challenges, it can be very lonely and isolating. Extended family and the love and support they give can be a very effective
therapeutic and long-term option that my sons desperately need.

Dr. McDonald’s decision to leave his position in Rhode Island came in the spring of 2022.

In the fall of 2021 McDonald testified in a lawsuit filed by parents against the Governor and the state of Rhode Island, on behalf of “children affected by the state’s school mask mandate, seeking a preliminary injunction against the Executive Orders and emergency regulation underlying the mandate.”

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Dr. Alexander-Scott

McDonald was appointed to the RIDOH Acting Director position when Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott announced her resignation in January of 2022. Alexander-Scott was criticized for leaving at a critical time in the COVID pandemic, with only 2 weeks notice, but having negotiated a $46,000/month 3-month consulting contract.

RINewsToday published an “exit interview” with Dr. Scott here: https://rinewstoday.com/why-did-dr-nicole-alexander-scott-resign-abruptly-in-the-middle-of-a-pandemic-richard-asinof/ Sources close to Gov. McKee said there was a deep disagreement on crucial COVID policy between he and Alexander-Scott. She gave no particular reason for her departure.

In July of 2022, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) announced that Alexander-Scott had joined ASTHO as a senior executive consultant – “Alexander-Scott will support states and territories across the country in capacity building focused on health equity, strengthening communities to be healthy and resilient, leadership development, and Truth in Racial Healing & Transformation work. Through this focus, she will lead the creation of a national office that will serve as a resource hub for state, territorial, county, and local governments and public health agencies to effectively invest in communities using evidence-informed, place-based, community-led interventions.”

McDonald, who left Rhode Island in the spring of 2022, assumes this position at the first of the year, 2023.