California’s Top Health Official to Step Down

Dr. Mark Ghaly is stepping down as head of California Health and Human Services Agency, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced in a showy press release on Friday.

Ghaly told Politico he’s leaving his position to spend more time with his family.

“I think we’ve dug a new foundation, we’ve rebarred, we’ve done all the reinforcements so that it’s stable in times of uncertainty to really see California thrive,” he said.

Newsom tapped Kim Johnson, who leads the state’s Department of Social Services, to replace him. She awaits senate confirmation, and the baton will likely pass to her on Oct. 1.

Ghaly, a trained pediatrician, was appointed in March 2019. He played a pivotal role in California’s response to the pandemic, helping craft some of the country’s most aggressive containment measures on masking, business and school closures and vaccination efforts, which Newsom’s office argues saved lives.

“I am grateful to Secretary Ghaly for his steadfast leadership and partnership during one of the greatest public health crises of our lifetime,” said Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, who served as California’s Surgeon General, in a statement.

The state’s strict approach to the pandemic was also loudly criticized by parents desperate to send their children back to school and businesses that lost revenue during the rolling lockdowns. Gov. Newsom beat back a GOP-led recall election in 2021, which was, in essence, a referendum on the state’s leadership during the crisis.

Beyond the pandemic, Ghaly helped lead the transformation of Medi-Cal through the CalAIM program, seeking to provide more comprehensive services to low-income Californians.

He also aimed to make the state more accessible and supportive for older adults and introduced reforms to California’s behavioral health services like the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative and the CARE program, which seeks to address the mental health needs of vulnerable populations.

“He has been a driving force for transformative changes to make healthcare more affordable and accessible,” Newsom said in a statement. “And has overseen the state’s overhaul of our behavioral health system to better reach those most in need.”

Before leading the state’s social service agency, Johnson worked in numerous positions advocating for vulnerable communities, including as the deputy director of the Family Engagement and Empowerment Division, branch chief of CalWORKs and Child Care, and branch chief of Refugee Programs and Child Care. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Social Welfare.

“Kim has been an indispensable partner in delivering foundational services that millions of Californians rely on,” Newsom said. “I’m confident that under her leadership, we’ll continue advancing the health and well-being of all Californians.”

The leadership transition comes as California faces mounting challenges in healthcare affordability, mental health, and the ongoing struggle to address homelessness — issues that have become central to the state’s political discourse.