Patrick is poised to detail shakeup

Governor Deval Patrick is poised to announce today the fate of several key commissioners remaining from the previous administration, including Harry Spence, the embattled leader of the Department of Social Services, who is expected to be replaced by the head of a New Jersey children's welfare group.

Administration officials would not confirm Spence's ouster yesterday, but officials in the human services industry said Patrick has chosen to replace him with Angelo McClain, executive director of Value Options New Jersey, the private entity that handles the state's behavioral health services for children.

In the 1990s, McClain worked in Massachusetts as vice president of the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership, where he earned respect as the senior manager on a Medicaid-funded contract, worth about $200 million.

Aides to Spence said he was not available for comment yesterday. "We can't comment on anything we have not been told," said Denise Monteiro, a DSS spokeswoman. "We have not been told anything officially or unofficially."

Respected by many on Beacon Hill as a tough, smart manager in a very difficult position, Spence has also faced public anger over high- profile cases of abuse and neglect, including the death of 4-year-old Rebecca Riley in December while in DSS care and the severe beating of Haleigh Poutre, who was left in a coma in 2005. In that case, the agency was accused of trying to prematurely remove the 11-year-old from life support.

Spence also generated controversy in the child welfare community with his decision to remove troubled children from residential facilities and place them in foster care. Providers and advocates charged that many of the children required more structured and inten sive placement, but Spence contended that placing the children with foster families saved money and helped children grow ties to their communities.

Spence, 60, was appointed DSS commissioner by Acting Governor Jane Swift in December 2001, after serving as a top manager in several major public agencies, including a stint as deputy superintendent of the New York City school system and as receiver for the bankrupt city of Chelsea.

McClain left Massachusetts several years ago to go to New Jersey, where he is now a senior manager for the ValueOptions program for behavioral health for children.

ValueOptions is the nation's largest privately held managed behavioral healthcare organization. It says it manages 25 Medicaid and public assistance programs across the nation covering more than 2.5 million clients.

Patrick, under increasing criticism from supporters for not removing GOP holdovers, moved several weeks ago to reshape his administration.

He sent a letter to 50 commissioners and agency heads, telling them that they must submit applications for their job and that they would be notified by June 1 about whether he would retain them.

Shortly after taking office, Patrick launched a similar effort, preparing letters asking commissioners and department heads to reapply for their jobs. But the letters were never sent.

The current shakeup was engineered by his recently appointed chief of staff, Doug Rubin, who oversaw a similar reorganization when he worked for state Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill.

Several holdovers from the Romney administration have already been fired, including Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Stephen Burrington, Depart ment of Correction Commissioner Kathleen M. Dennehy, and Department of Mental Retardation Commissioner Gerald J. Morrissey Jr.

Morrissey's firing sparked protests in the Legislature, where he has strong ties. But a campaign to force Patrick to reconsider fizzled.

Another top post that might change hands today is at the Depart ment of Mental Health. The current commissioner, Beth Childs, was appointed by Governor Mitt Romney.