SOUTH BEND, Ind. — REAL News Michiana has learned the St. Joseph County Department of Health’s Assistant Director of Health Equity has resigned. This comes after multiple RNM stories uncovering details about her position and a racist rant in which she said during a recorded Board of Health meeting that she did not like seeing white people.
“This is the room and table I like the least.” Taylor Coats said while referring to the color of everyone’s skin at a Board of Health meeting in February. “I don’t like seeing this. A bunch of white people sitting around making decisions.”
In March, REAL News Michiana reported that the St. Joseph County Department of Health diverted tens of thousands of dollars from a lead mitigation program, that mainly focuses on preventing lead poisoning in minority children, to pay the Coats salary, who had little to no involvement in lead mitigation. According to sources, the move was made unilaterally two years ago by then Health Officer Dr. Robert Einterz.
Sources tell RNM the money from a county lead grant/fund is being used to pay Coats’ salary. Coats was moved into the position from a social worker role in 2021. It appears the appropriation was never approved by the County Council and could have potentially been revoked by the elected officials, according to RNM’s sources.
It’s unclear exactly what Coats did at the Department of Health overall. However, she recently represented the county in a radical “Reproductive Justice” panel at Notre Dame and went on a smear campaign against local elected officials.
In April, Coats joined former St. Joseph County Health Officer Dr. Robert Einterz on a political panel to attack conservatives only days after he resigned from his position. The event which was called “The War on Public Health” included a flyer that stated, “Local officials are attacking public Health! You are invited to learn more and save public health!”
While Einterz claimed that conservatives were politicizing the Health Department during that event, it appears he is either projecting or gaslighting the public. During his tenure as the top doctor in the county, Einterz was responsible for an illegal mask mandate and stretching COVID data to close down churches.
In July of 2021, an RNM investigation discovered Einterz and several Health Board members were breaking Indiana public records laws by holding secret meetings.
During the height of COVID, RNM published a story regarding one of Einterz’ employees stating she wished doctors would deny care to people who did not wear a mask or get the COVID vaccine. It does not appear the employee was ever disciplined for the remarks.
RNM also discovered a scheme in which Einterz was using the health department to attack the businesses of political opponents. This led to a massive lawsuit that is currently ongoing.
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