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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Jennifer Sims retired from the Texas Department of |
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| 6 | 7 | | State Health Services on July 31, 2021, drawing to a close an |
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| 7 | 8 | | exemplary career with the State of Texas that has spanned 25 years; |
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| 8 | 9 | | and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, In 1996, Ms. Sims began working for the state as a |
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| 10 | 11 | | legislative aide in the Texas Senate, and she went on to hold a |
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| 11 | 12 | | number of senior management positions at state agencies; she served |
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| 12 | 13 | | as the head of external relations at the Department of Family and |
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| 13 | 14 | | Protective Services, and she subsequently transferred to the |
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| 14 | 15 | | Department of Aging and Disability Services, where she was employed |
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| 15 | 16 | | as associate commissioner; she then returned to DFPS as deputy |
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| 16 | 17 | | commissioner, and in March 2016, she assumed her most recent role as |
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| 17 | 18 | | deputy commissioner at DSHS; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, In the course of her tenure, Ms. Sims has overseen |
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| 19 | 20 | | the agency's financial services, program operations, external |
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| 20 | 21 | | relations, strategic planning, public health data, and policy |
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| 21 | 22 | | oversight; moreover, she has participated in the reorganization and |
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| 22 | 23 | | transformation of the Health and Human Services System and the |
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| 23 | 24 | | reform of Child Protective and Adult Protective Services; she has |
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| 24 | 25 | | also been actively engaged in the state's response to numerous |
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| 25 | 26 | | hurricanes, including Katrina, Rita, Ike, and Harvey, as well as to |
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| 26 | 27 | | outbreaks of Zika, H1N1, and COVID-19; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Sims has worked |
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| 28 | 29 | | tirelessly to safeguard the health and well-being of Texans while |
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| 29 | 30 | | ensuring that they continue to receive essential public services; |
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| 30 | 31 | | among her many contributions, she helped obtain scarce equipment |
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| 31 | 32 | | and supplies for frontline medical professionals in early 2020; and |
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| 32 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Ms. Sims holds a bachelor's degree in psychology |
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| 33 | 34 | | from Metropolitan State University of Denver and a master's degree |
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| 34 | 35 | | in social work from The University of Texas at Arlington; in |
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| 35 | 36 | | addition, she earned professional certifications in change |
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| 36 | 37 | | management, mediation, and dispute resolution; and |
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| 37 | 38 | | WHEREAS, Through her dedication, professionalism, and |
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| 38 | 39 | | commitment to excellence, Jennifer Sims has earned the lasting |
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| 39 | 40 | | respect and admiration of her colleagues and fellow citizens alike, |
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| 40 | 41 | | and she may indeed reflect with pride on a career well spent as she |
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| 41 | 42 | | embarks on the next exciting chapter of her life; now, therefore, be |
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| 42 | 43 | | it |
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| 43 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 44 | 45 | | Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby congratulate Jennifer Sims |
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| 45 | 46 | | on her retirement as deputy commissioner at the Texas Department of |
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| 46 | 47 | | State Health Services and extend to her sincere best wishes for the |
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| 47 | 48 | | future; and, be it further |
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| 48 | 49 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 49 | 50 | | prepared for Ms. Sims as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 50 | 51 | | House of Representatives. |
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