White House Announces Nominee to Lead SAMHSA

President Joe Biden on Friday announced his intent to nominate Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, PhD, for the position of Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Department of Health and Human Services. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use is responsible for managing and directing SAMHSA.

The nomination was one of six positions within the administration for which Biden announced nominees on Friday.

Delphin-Rittmon currently serves as the commission of the Connecticut State Department of Health, a position she has held since March 2015 after previously holding the titles of deputy commissioner, senior policy advisor and director of the department’s Office of Multicultural Health Equity. Delphin-Rittmon has 20 years of experience in behavioral health overall, which includes a two-year stint as senior advisor to the administrator of SAMHSA from 2012-14.

In a news release announcing the nomination, the White House noted that in her role as commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Health, Delphin-Rittmon “has been committed to promoting recovery oriented, integrated and culturally responsive services and systems that foster dignity, respect and meaningful community inclusion.”

Tom Coderre has been serving as the acting Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use since being appointed by the Biden administration in January.