New York City has a new top doc.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg tapped Dr. Thomas A. Farley to become the city’s Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Hygiene (DOHMH) after President Barack Obama selected current Commissioner Thomas Frieden to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Farley is a pediatrician and epidemiologist with a wide range of experience in public health, and he has been working with Frieden during the past several weeks to prepare for the succession that will come in early June.
“New Yorkers are living longer, healthier lives than ever before, but immense challenges remain,” Bloomberg said on Monday, May 18. “I am delighted to have a leader of Tom Farley’s caliber here to help us meet them. Working together, we will build on the accomplishments of the past seven years, and make New York City an even healthier place to live and work.”
Farley most recently served as the head of the Department of Community Health Sciences and the Prevention Research Center at Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. He said he was honored to receive the appointment and is looking forward to building on the improvements made during the past few years and addressing a number of issues in his new position.
“As Commissioner, I hope to continue to make advances against the leading causes of death today – such as smoking and obesity – while also constantly improving the many other ways we protect the health of New Yorkers,” Farley said.
Many legislators throughout the city expressed support for Farley and praised his selection.
“Dr. Farley’s first task will be helping the city mount a strong citywide response to the H1N1 virus outbreak,” said Queens City Councilmember John Liu. “We must all come together to help Dr. Farley succeed in monitoring the outbreak and providing critical care to those infected.”
Farley’s appointment came only three days after Obama chose Frieden to become the new head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Frieden has been in the national spotlight during the past few weeks as the city has dealt with the H1N1 outbreak.
Frieden thanked his colleagues at the DOHMH for their hard work and dedication and said he is sorry to “be leaving one of the best jobs in the world,” but he is excited for his new position.
“I am deeply honored and privileged to be selected for this position, and I look forward to learning from and working with the wonderful staff of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” Frieden said.
