Governor Dayton today appointed Jan Malcolm as state Health Commissioner. The former head of the department, Dr. Ed Ehlinger, stepped down last December amid reports that his agency did not do do enough to protect seniors and vulnerable adults from elder abuse. Today, Malcolm said to those victims she is “so sorry for the pain, the trauma, all of the difficulties that have been caused.” Governor Dayton says a just-released work group report on elder abuse in Minnesota shows “egregious” and “immoral” behavior on the part of caregivers and he’s calling for more oversight but adds
“the responsibility first and foremost begins with those facilities and the care they’re providing and it will be very important the legislature focus on that aspect as well as what we need to do to improve the oversight of the Department of Health.” Malcolm says the report shines a “painful, but very necessary light on a part of our healthcare system and our regulatory approach.” She says protecting the well-being of Minnesotans–seniors in particular–will be among her top priorities. Malcolm also served as Health Commissioner under Governor Jess Ventura from 1999-2003.