LITTLE ROCK — Department of Human Services Director Lee Frazier said Thursday that a number of factors led to his resignation, including news reports of allegations that children are being abused while in the state's care and a cool relationship with legislators.
On Wednesday, Frazier told Gov. Mike Huckabee he is resigning, effective July 1. When he leaves, he will have spent exactly one year in the job.
Starting in August, he will become director of community programs at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, which pays about $8,000 more than he is making now.
UAMS Chancellor Dr. Harry Ward said Thursday that Frazier's position "basically was created yesterday" after Frazier asked him for a job. Frazier will report directly to Ward. Earlier Thursday, Frazier said he couldn't remember when he was offered the job at UAMS.
"I met with Lee Frazier about noon. He told me he had decided he wanted to step out of the Department of Human Services and would there be any opportunities here," Ward said.
"We've always sort of chatted informally that one day he would come over here and help us out with some of our areas," Ward said, adding that he and Frazier have been friends for 10 to 15 years.
Ward said Huckabee did not ask him to find a place for Frazier. Ward said he did call Huckabee after meeting with Frazier to discuss the job. He said he did not need legislative approval to create Frazier's job and will pay him with existing funds.
Ward said he only has developed a "broad outline" of Frazier's duties, but would develop them further before Frazier starts work Aug. 1.
Frazier will likely work to develop a relationship between UAMS and community health centers. Frazier would help "network" with the clinic's Medicaid patients and help with UAMS's reimbursement, information and administration systems, Ward said.
Frazier may also work along side the state Department of Health on raising the state's rankings in categories such as obesity, hypertension and mortality. He also will teach a master's level public-health program that UAMS offers in conjunction with Tulane University in New Orleans.
Ward said he decided to pay Frazier $118,000 annually after considering Frazier's current salary and what Ward's other administrators are paid. At Human Services, Frazier was in line for the scheduled 5.2 percent pay raise, which would have brought his salary to $110,776.
Several legislators said privately Thursday that they believed Frazier was forced out of the Human Services Department by Huckabee. Frazier and Huckabee disagreed.
"He felt he could no longer be effective in that role any more, and there was the opportunity at UAMS," Huckabee said. "I think there were a lot of issues brought up for him to deal with, some of them unfairly, that made him feel that way."
Frazier said that during his year at the department he worked to uncover abuse and mismanagement.
"Sometimes those who uncover the dirt can't be the ones who makes the repairs," Frazier said.
Frazier said he believes he has been unfairly criticized for problems within the department's Youth Services Division. He said those problems "have been going on for years."
Last Friday, Huckabee ordered the closing of the Central Arkansas Observation and Assessment Center in North Little Rock, which houses juvenile delinquents in the state's custody. The center is run by the Youth Services Division.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette began a six-part series June 14 about the division's problems, including the physical abuse of delinquents in the state's care. Boys have alleged they were beaten or sexually assaulted at the center and other facilities, including the Alexander Youth Services Center and wilderness camps for serious offenders.
Frazier said when he was told by a reporter about the abuses in April, he went to the North Little Rock center to see for himself.
"What I saw was horrifying," Frazier said. "It wasn't only what I saw, but it was that no one else was appalled. It was systematic."
Frazier also said some lawmakers put up "roadblocks" that hampered his ability to make changes. He said he was disappointed lawmakers were not immediately receptive to his idea to create a new office to handle internal department investigations, outside investigations and audits.
But Frazier also said he could have improved his relationship with legislators if he had shared with them his plans correcting department problems.
"Sometimes when you are in a race and you're trying to gather as much as you can gather, you miss a couple of steps," Frazier said. "Obviously, we missed some steps."
Richard Weiss, director of the state Department of Finance and Administration, was named acting director of the Human Services Department and will head it for three to four months while Huckabee searches for a permanent director.
At 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Frazier met with 16 of the department's senior level employees to explain his resignation.
"There was a great sense of peace, but also a great sense of concern," Frazier said of his resignation. He said his concerns were lifted when he found out Weiss would take over the agency during the search for a permanent director.
A few minutes later, Weiss arrived at the meeting and he and Frazier hugged. Weiss told the senior employees he wants to be informed about any problems or situations going on at the department.
"Don't ever surprise me," Weiss said. "I don't ever want to be embarrassed."
Information for this article was contributed by Doug Thompson and Elizabeth McFarland of the Arkansas-Democrat Gazette.