Health Secretary-designee Kirsten Johnson says she doesn't support mask and vaccine mandates in hearing with senators
MADISON – Senators on the health committee pressed Department of Health Services-designee Kirsten Johnson on mask and vaccine mandates, abortion, workforce shortages and long-term care programming.
"One of my priorities is the public health system largely, I believe everyone in Wisconsin deserves access to equitable public health services, and based on where you live, you may or may not have some of the services that are available in other places in the state," Johnson said Wednesday as she seeks approval to her office by way of a confirmation vote in the Senate.
"So I think we really need to think critically about what is our role at DHS, and how do we best provide the services that people need."
Johnson joined the department in late February this year, replacing secretary-designee Karen Timberlake, who joined the department in January 2021 and resigned in December. Like several other Evers appointees, Timberlake was never confirmed by the Republican-led state Legislature.
Johnson was appointed Milwaukee health commissioner by former Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in January 2021 and immediately took over the COVID-19 pandemic response including city-run testing sites and masking mandates and advisories. She stepped down in January, citing a a pattern of behavior at City Hall and a public shaming by an alderman.
Before coming to Milwaukee, Johnson led the Washington Ozaukee Public Health Department for more than a decade. When she came to Milwaukee, she said she did not feel she was politically supported responding to the pandemic in Ozaukee and Washington counties.
Asked about the public health response to the pandemic, Johnson said officials tried to make the best decisions they could "out of a host of bad decisions" in the face of a novel virus. Pressed on what she would do differently now, Johnson said she would not close schools during a COVID spike.
"I think we can utilize tools that we have available to us ... mass vaccines, keeping kids in cohorts in classrooms, ensuring teachers are vaccinated ... looking at risk and being thoughtful," she said.
Johnson also said officials could have been more transparent about their decision-making during the pandemic.
"It was frustrating for all of us, just not knowing what was happening. But again, I think communicating more clearly, being more transparent about what we knew and what we didn't, I think, is important too," she said.
Asked whether she currently supports mask or vaccine mandates, Johnson said she does not support mandates but recommends people get vaccinated and recommends people vulnerable to illness wear masks.
In response to a question about abortion, Johnson said, "I believe as the secretary of DHS and as a woman that women in Wisconsin deserve access to reproductive health care, and robust reproductive health care, and abortion is one of those services. That said, DHS has always followed the law. There is no exception. We will continue to follow the law. The law currently states that we don't pay for abortion services."
Johnson served as a health policy fellow and advisor for U.S. Congressman Ron Kind and helped develop policies for the House Committee on Ways and Means. Johnson’s previous experience and professional roles also include serving as a program manager for the Healthy Wisconsin Leadership Institute at the Medical College of Wisconsin and as a health education volunteer with the Peace Corps.
Johnson has her master’s degree in public health from Tulane University of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and holds certifications as a public health professional and certified education specialist. She has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Medical College of Wisconsin Master of Public Health (MPH) Program Advisory Committee, the National Association of City and County Health Officials, the Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards, and the Wisconsin Public Health Association.
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Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X at @SchulteLaura. Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com and on X at @jessieopie.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: DHS-designee Kirsten Johnson pressed on make, vaccine mandates
