Former Oregon Department of Education Mental Health Director Says She Was Unfairly Fired

In a letter to Gov. Tina Kotek, a top mental health official at the Oregon Department of Education says her firing in late November was “unjust and arbitrary,” and warns it could jeopardize a department partnership with a federal agency that promotes mental health.

“This action significantly compromises the agency’s charge to ensure that students and their families regularly attend school and thrive socially, emotionally, and academically, and has undermined the relational trust between ODE and school district administrators and staff,” Dr. B. Grace Bullock wrote in a Jan. 7 letter obtained by WW.

Bullock joined the Department of Education in January 2020. In November 2022, she was promoted to director of mental health in ODE’s office of health education, where she primarily led two state programs: the Strengthening Mental Health in Education initiative and the Community Care Development Project.

The former is an effort to improve youth mental health by building up behavioral health infrastructure around the state that is culturally responsive. The latter program establishes specialists in schools who can connect students and families with local resources to improve their mental and physical health. In total, both projects are funded by about $12 million in state and federal funds, including $5.4 million from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

But on Nov. 27, Katarina Moseley, ODE’s health in education administrator, eliminated Bullock’s position, writing that her appointment was a “limited duration” one for “special studies or projects.”

“These appointments do not guarantee continued employment with the State of Oregon and may be terminated at any time by either management or the employee,” Moseley wrote in the letter, obtained by WW. “We have made the decision that we are ending your limited duration appointment effective immediately upon receipt of this letter.”

Moseley’s letter offered no further reasoning for the termination.

In emails to top education officials this week, Bullock warned that her termination could jeopardize federal funding.

Bullock writes that, in the partnership with SAMHSA, the grant requires that the principal investigator be a full-time employee and that “any change in key project personnel be approved 30 days in advance by SAMHSA.” She writes that Moseley has expressed intentions to appoint herself as the principal investigator, but that SAMHSA was not consulted.

“ODE’s failure to submit the required financial information to SAMHSA by the appointed deadline has tarnished both my professional reputation as Principal Investigator and Project Director and ODE’s credibility and threatened the grant’s final 3 years of continued funding,” she wrote.

SAMHSA did not immediately respond to WW’s request for comment.

There’s another explosive accusation in the letter. Bullock writes that Moseley, her supervisor, had a history of “abusing her authority, engaging in toxic, retaliatory behavior, resulting in a hostile work environment.” She also alleges that Moseley has undermined staff morale and the agency’s mission. She says her firing undermines ODE’s commitment to accountability and transparency, during a time when the equity division’s top leaders are “under investigation.”

“I repeatedly consulted ODE’s HR director and provided extensive documentation of Ms. Moseley’s pattern of harassment, belittling, retaliation and the unwarranted removal of my key responsibilities over two years, beginning in April 2024 and up to and including the day that I was dismissed,” she wrote.

In an email to WW, Bullock provided a copy of her termination letter. “I have no further statement at this time,” she wrote.

WW could not immediately reach Moseley for comment. ODE spokesman Marc Siegel says the department does not comment on personnel matters.