TALLAHASSEE — Taylor Hatch, the Secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), has resigned from her position effective July 3. Her departure comes nearly four months after a protracted confirmation process by the state Senate, which had previously stalled due to controversies surrounding Medicaid fund transfers linked to the Hope Florida Foundation.
Resignation Letter Highlights Mission
In a resignation letter dated June 3, Hatch expressed confidence in the public servants and partners continuing DCF’s mission. She cited individuals with lived experience, churches, nonprofit organizations, private sector businesses, providers, and advocates as key stakeholders moving forward. While she did not explicitly name Hope Florida in the document, she referenced Governor Ron DeSantis’ vision to reduce dependency through a "first-of-its-kind Care Coordination model," an initiative associated with First Lady Casey DeSantis.
Scandal Involving Medicaid Funds
Hatch’s confirmation was delayed for over a year after the Senate initially withheld support. The delay stemmed from a scandal involving the transfer of $10 million in Medicaid settlement funds to two nonprofits, which subsequently donated money to a political committee chaired by James Uthmeier, DeSantis’ then-chief of staff and current Attorney General general.
That political committee utilized these funds to campaign against ballot measures regarding recreational marijuana legalization and abortion rights. Hatch was eventually confirmed in March alongside Shevaun Harris, Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, following scrutiny over whether she would have approved such settlements.
DCF Oversight and SNAP Error Rates
The DCF oversees critical services including adoptions, daycare centers, child welfare programs, and the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP). Recent data released in June indicates that while Florida reduced its SNAP error rate from 15% to 13%, this figure remains significantly above the 6% threshold mandated by Congress under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025.
Failure to meet federal standards could result in Florida contributing an additional $1 billion to the SNAP program starting next fiscal year. Hatch, who previously served as director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, did not outline her future professional plans upon leaving office.
