Having been at the helm of the Department of Public Health as the first global pandemic in a century hit Massachusetts, former commissioner Dr. Monica Bharel is poised to take on a new role leading the response to another emerging public health crisis.
Boston Mayor-elect Michelle Wu announced Wednesday that she is tapping Bharel to serve in her administration as a new Cabinet-level senior advisor with a charge to lead Boston’s efforts over the next six months “to address the intersecting crises of substance use disorder, mental health, public safety, and homelessness.”
Wu said the appointment was in keeping with a campaign promise to address the multi-faceted situation at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard with a public health focus. Bharel stepped down as DPH commissioner in June after six years leading the department.
“This ongoing crisis of substance use disorder, mental health issues, and homelessness requires a coordinated response from government, service providers, and our communities,” Bharel said. “Mayor-elect Wu is committed to working with our state and regional partners to secure the lasting public health-led solutions that this moment demands and our residents deserve.”
A primary care physician with a master’s in public health degree, Bharel served as the chief medical officer for the Boston Health Care for the Homeless before joining the Baker administration in 2015.
Wu also announced plans to promote Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, head of the Boston Public Health Commission, to her Cabinet. Wu’s office said the elevation would mean “expanding her role in leading the city’s broader public health efforts, including response to the COVID-19 pandemic” but did not specify a job title. Health and Human Services Chief Marty Martinez has been asked to advise Wu’s transition, her office said.
Sheila Dillon, a familiar presence on Beacon Hill who has served as the city’s chief of housing and director of the Department of Neighborhood Development, will be reappointed to her position and will work closely with Bharel on “securing the necessary low-threshold and permanent supportive housing, with full wraparound health and social services,” Wu’s team said.
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