Dr. Harry Chen will not seek to be reappointed as commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health.
Chen told his staff in an email Tuesday that he decided over the Thanksgiving holiday not to apply to continue under Gov.-elect Phil Scott’s new administration.
“In the short run, I will finish out my appointed term through Jan. 5, and I will do everything I can to ensure a smooth transition,” he wrote. “If needed, I can continue in my role on a temporary basis.”
Chen has served in his current position since 2011, when Gov. Peter Shumlin took office. He served as acting secretary of the Agency of Human Services in late 2014 after Doug Racine was ousted from the position.
Previously, Chen was the emergency room director at Rutland Regional Medical Center, and he served as a state representative for Mendon, Killington and Bridgewater from 2005 to 2009.
Chen, who led the department when Shumlin made national news for bringing opiate addiction into the spotlight, said his staff helped “change the definition of addiction from crime to chronic disease, expanded medication-assisted treatment, and helped set the national agenda for substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery.”
He also cited the department’s response to Tropical Storm Irene, the Ebola crisis and PFOA in Bennington County drinking water, and its creation of 3-4-50, a campaign to encourage Vermonters to eat right to prevent chronic disease.
“Looking back over my time, there is much to be proud of,” Chen told his staff in the email. “My accomplishments are truly your accomplishments, focused on our mission of protecting and promoting the best health for all Vermonters.”
