At the request of Lisa Asare, Assistant Commissioner
Department of Health Creates Integrated Health Services Branch
Effective November 1, 2017, the Department of Health will include a new branch known as Integrated Health Services (DMHAS) which will include the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The DMHAS was relocated from the Department of Human Services on August 28, 2017.
The new Integrated Health Services branch is designed to increase efficiency, coordination and integration of the state’s mental health and addiction prevention and treatment programs with the delivery of primary healthcare, including chronic disease prevention, treatment and management.
The new Integrated Health Services branch will be headed by a Deputy Commissioner. Carolyn Daniels, Executive Director of the Office of Minority and Multicultural Health since 2011, will serve as Acting Deputy Commissioner, effective November 1, 2017. Prior to joining the Department, Daniels spent 20 years as an executive in the private sector of HMO/Medicaid Managed Care where she expanded business and growth in the Medicaid Managed Care market, led teams in complex matrixed environments and was responsible for physical/behavioral health systems integration. Valerie Mielke will continue as Assistant Commissioner for the DMHAS.
An Executive Directive outlining two phases of the reorganization was presented to the Public Health Council Thursday. The Public Health Council supported the plan.
In the second phase of the Department’s reorganization, which will take place by January 1, 2018, there will be some additional changes to further support the goals of the Reorganization Plan. Those changes include a newly created Community Health Division within the Integrated Health Services Branch. The Division will be overseen by an Assistant Commissioner and include some units that are currently in the Department’s Public Health Services Branch, Family Health Services. Those units are the Office of Primary Care & Rural Health (consisting of Federally Qualified Health Centers; Children’s Oral Health, Rural Health) and the Office of Community Health & Wellness (consisting of Nutrition and Fitness; Chronic Disease Programs; Tobacco Control). In addition, the Office of Minority and Multicultural Health will be transferred from the Office of Population Health and located in the Community Health Division.
This reorganization will support the Department’s population health goals and better position us to ensure our residents benefit from improved health outcomes. As these changes move forward, we will continue to update you on progress made. Thank you for your continued support.
