Friedlander gets permanent job leading Kentucky agency

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Eric Friedlander, who has led Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services during the coronavirus pandemic, has accepted the job on a permanent basis, Gov. Andy Beshear said.

Friedlander was hired as acting secretary of the vast state agency at the start of Beshear’s term last December. He was offered the job as permanent secretary on Sunday, the governor said.

“He has more than earned the full-time job,” Beshear said during his coronavirus briefing Monday.

Friedlander has been a constant presence at the governor’s daily briefings, and has stepped to the podium to give frequent updates as the state deals with the public health crisis.

“He has done a phenomenal job,” Beshear said. “He has shown grace in times of great difficulty. And he’s the exact type of person that I want to have, not only for this situation, but as we move beyond it.”

Friedlander brings the “right mix” to the job, including his command of complex issues ranging from Medicaid to the foster care system, the governor said. He also praised Friedlander for the empathy he shows — “to still care, at his core, about every single individual that we serve.”