DHHR Restructuring Begins With Appointment of Deputy Secretary

West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) Secretary Bill Crouch announced that Cammie Chapman will be his Deputy Secretary of Child and Adult Services. In that position, Chapman will be involved in a number of departments that directly affect what Crouch said is his number one priority — creating better outcomes for child welfare.

Chapman is the first deputy secretary named following the $1 million organizational study of DHHR by the McChrystal Group, at the direction of Gov. Jim Justice.

Chapman will oversee DHHR’s Bureau for Child Support Enforcement and Bureau for Social Services. DHHR’s Bureau for Child Support Enforcement establishes paternity and child support, enforces support from a child’s parent, and enforces court orders for spousal support. DHHR’s Bureau for Social Services promotes the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and vulnerable adults, supporting individuals to succeed, and strengthening families.

Since 2018, Chapman has served as Associate General Counsel for DHHR and currently oversees all legal aspects of the Bureau for Family Assistance and the Bureau for Social Services. Additionally, Chapman has coordinated efforts across the Department to expand children’s mental health services and served as the point of contact with the U.S. Department of Justice in its partnership with DHHR regarding children’s mental health services. Chapman’s current salary is $93,415. Her new salary will be $122,584.

“I have relied on Cammie’s expertise in the child welfare field and look forward to utilizing her management and leadership skills in this new role, as well as her enthusiastic approach to solving problems,” Crouch said in a press release. “We have much work to do in this realm and I know Cammie is the right person to tackle those challenges head on.”

The McChrystal Group review of DHHR highlights a need for communication. The plan now is to set up agency leaders to facilitate coherent strategies and improved outcomes.

Crouch said that more appointments would be announced throughout the week. Those should include deputy secretaries for substance use disorders and access and eligibility. The study also recommends deputy secretaries for the State Health Officer and the director of the Center for Threat Preparedness.