| Advisory opinion as from Dr. James Hussey, the Medical Director for the Office of Behavioral Health within Department of Health ("LDH"), regarding contract work following his retirement. |
|
James Hussey (Dr. Hussey) currently serves as the Medical Director for the
Louisiana Office of Behavioral Health ("OBH") within LDH. He has served as the
Medical Director for OBH since 2016. He has three employees under his direct
supervision but he does not have any appointing authority. Dr. Hussey is considering
retiring from OBH as early as January 2, 2024 or as late as November 10, 2025. He currently serves as Chairman of the Drug Policy
Board's Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education Advisory Council. He is also
appointed as LDH's representative and member of the Opioid Abatement Task Force
and the related Corporation. He is a long-standing member of the Medicaid
Quality Committee, the Medicaid Statewide Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee,
and participates in other such entities as the Perinatal Commission. OBH may wish to keep Dr. Hussey aboard after retirement as either a WAE employee
or a contracted employee working between 20 and 24 hours per week. Dr. Hussey has also been recruited for part-time
contract work in two of the Local Governing Entities/Human Service Districts/Authorities
which provide behavioral health services in regions within the state (i.e. not
under the direct authority of OBH but still under LDH).
|
|
|
La.
R.S. 42:1121B(1) provides
that no former public employee shall, for a period of two years following the
termination of his public employment, assist another person, for compensation,
in a transaction, or in an appearance in connection with a transaction in which
such former public employee participated at any time during his public
employment and involving the governmental entity by which he was formerly employed,
or for a period of two years following termination of his public employment,
render, any service which such former public employee had rendered to the
agency during the term of his public employment on a contractual basis,
regardless of the parties to the contract, to, for, or on behalf of the agency
with which he was formerly employed.
|
|
|
Adopt the proposed advisory opinion.
|
|
| Assigned Attorney: |
Mallory Guillot |
|
|