CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The interim secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Resources says her new role will better prepare her to lead one of three new state agencies at the start of next year.
Gov. Jim Justice last month named Dr. Sherri Young the new interim DHHR secretary following the July 5 departure of Dr. Jeffrey Coben. The appointment comes shortly after Young was named secretary of the new Department of Health. She assumes that role on Jan. 1, 2024.
The governor in May appointed Dr. Cynthia Persily to be secretary of the Department of Human Services and Michael Caruso to be secretary of the new Department of Health Facilities.
Young said her top priority is to work with the Persily and Caruso over the next six months.
“I wouldn’t make a decision that would impact what is going to be Human Resources or Facilities without speaking to the other secretaries,” she explained. “We’re still working together to make sure the transition goes smoothly.”
The transition comes after the state Legislature pushed ahead with a bill to reorganize DHHR, contending the restructuring would make it more accountable. DHHR had been under scrutiny over how the enormous agency handles a range of issues including foster care, child protective services and the developmentally disabled.
Young, who previously served as the health officer of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, said she plans on using her experience at the county level to meet the needs of West Virginians statewide. She said each county has different needs.
“Coming from a larger health department where we had a lot of resources, we were able to accomplish a lot of things,” she said. “I grew up in Wyoming County and my parents are still there. To see the difference between Kanawha County and Wyoming County, the needs are going to be different.”
Young said now that COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency, she wants to study other health concerns in each county.
“I can foresee a lot of that is going to be around mental health potentially, substance use disorder. Really we need to be on the same page because nobody wants another pandemic,” she said.
Keeping the DHHR’s finances in check will also be a top focus, Young said.
“We need to make sure that as we separate all these resources into the three entities that we’re not taking away from one program and making sure we’re in compliance with grants,” she said.
Next year, Young will oversee the following divisions within the Department of Health: the Bureau for Public Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Center for Threat Preparedness, Health Care Authority, Office of Inspector General, and Human Rights Commission.
Young said, overall, she feels a sense of confidence restored within DHHR as they work to turn a new page. She’s pledging more transparency moving forward.
“When we put new programs out, there will be public comment periods where people can provide that input. We want to hear that,” she said. “We know that we may not be able to meet the needs of everyone at an individual level, but we are going to do our best to get our services to everyone because, at the end of the day, we’re here for the state of West Virginia.”