Gov. Kathy Hochul is considering Mary Bassett — former New York City Health Commissioner under Mayor Bill de Blasio — to take over from the state’s departing Health Commissioner, Dr. Howard Zucker, The Post has learned.
“I’m aware there’s conversations. She is under very serious consideration and I have in turn expressed my support of her to the administration,” State Senate Health Committee Chairman Gustavo Rivera (D-The Bronx) told The Post, adding in recent weeks Bassett’s name has soared to the top of the state’s shortlist.
“She is incredibly respected, I would be very happy with her as a commissioner.”
Bassett has engaged in several interviews in recent weeks with the Hochul administration, as the state narrows its search to for a new department head, according to sources who spoke to The Post under condition of anonymity.
“The department went down under Governor Cuomo. I think the department needs a fresh start,” said state Assembly Health Committee Chairman Dick Gottfried (D-Manhattan).
“The one name that I’ve heard discussed and I would certainly support, is Mary Bassett, the former New York City health commissioner,” he said, adding “various people in the health policy community have expressed an interest.”
Gottfried said he also expressed support for Bassett’s appointment to Hochul’s staff.
Hochul announced Zucker submitted his resignation Thursday, but that he also agreed to stay on in the position until she names a replacement.
“He understands that, in this time, I’ve wanted to take the first 45 days to assemble a new team going forward,” Hochul said during a Manhattan-based press conference, noting her search is underway.
“That process is ongoing, and he understands and he respects that.”
Bassett, 68, stepped down as NYC health commissioner in the summer of 2018, taking a post with Harvard University. She is currently serving as Director of the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, as well as the FXB Professor of the Practice of Health and Human Rights at the Harvard School of Public Health, according to Harvard’s website
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Her resignation came amidst a Department of Investigation inquiry into why her agency failed to send reports to the New York City Housing Authority detailing elevated blood lead levels in kids living in public housing,
The Manhattan US Attorney’s office released a complaint against NYCHA noting between 2010 and 2015 over 200 kids living in NYCHA housing had lead in their blood, and nearly 100 apartments were not inspected.
Bassett at the time said her departure had nothing to do with the controversy.
Meanwhile, Bassett would become the first black health commissioner.
Lorna McBarnette briefly served as acting health commissioner in 1991-92 after then-DOH chief David Axelord suffered a stroke.
She would become the third appointed female health commissioner after Barbara DeBuono and Antonia Novello, who served under former Gov. George Pataki.
As city health commissioner, Bassett focused on racial disparities in health outcomes in the Big Apple’s neighborhoods. She directed more health resources to lower income communities suffering with higher rates of obesity, diabetes and other diseases.
She often talked about structural racism and spoke out after the police chokehold death of Eric Garner in Staten Island.
Aside from the lead paint scandal, she oversaw a relatively well-regarded health agency through several crises, including an Ebola scare, Legionnaire’s disease and the opioid epidemic — but nothing approaching the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the brain drain at the DOH increased over the last year of the pandemic, as sources cited workplace stress and low morale.
Since January alone, roughly 60 agency employees have left their positions for the private sector or transferred to other roles in the state, including top posts leaving gaping vacancies.
Lisa Pino, the DOH’s ex-deputy commissioner, left the administration earlier this month and Kristin Proud, a special assistant, was elevated to acting deputy commission.
One healthcare source and former DOH staffer who requested anonymity noted Zucker’s departure has been one of Hochul’s top focuses over the last month she’s been in office.
“Once they said Kristin Proud was going to take over, then to me it was a countdown to when Zucker was going to get kicked out,” the source said.
A spokesperson for Hochul denied to comment.
A request for comment from Bassett was not immediately returned.