3 Arizona health execs out after sex misconduct inquiry

• Three state Health Department execs are out of jobs%2C following problems at Arizona State Hospital
• Donna Noriega%2C the hospital%27s chief executive%2C and Cory Nelson%2C her predecessor%2C are gone
• A Health Department spokesman declined to say if the three were fired or resigned

Three state executives have lost their jobs after being under fire following accusations that severely mentally ill patients at the Arizona State Hospital were sexually abused.

Those no longer employed are Donna Noriega, the hospital's chief executive; Cory Nelson, her predecessor and most recently the interim Department of Health Services director; and Jeff Bloomberg, a lawyer and administrative counsel and rules manager for the agency.

Department of Health Services spokespeople on Thursday declined to say if the three were fired or resigned, citing personnel policies.

The three executives were placed on administrative leave last month, following allegations that the hospital didn't protect patients from sexual abuse and that there was no internal investigation or reporting to outside authorities.

Nelson was replaced as ADHS director last month when Gov. Doug Ducey appointed Dr. Cara Christ to run the agency. Christ then put the three on leave and launched an independent investigation into the State Hospital.

Christ declined to be interviewed. The Governor's Office could not immediately be reached.

Nelson had replaced Will Humble, who resigned effective March 3. Humble had worked 23 years with the agency.