Val Arkoosh Named PA Secretary Of Human Services By Gov.-Elect Shapiro

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — Longtime Montgomery County Commissioner and medical doctor Valerie Arkoosh is headed to Harrisburg. Fellow Montgomery County native and governor-elect Josh Shapiro has named her to his cabinet as the Secretary of the Department of Human Services.

Arkoosh built herself a national profile during the pandemic, spearheading local response when the county was the regional epicenter of the virus. She built on that when she ran a brief campaign for the U.S. Senate seat that was ultimately won by Lt. Gov. John Fetterman.

“With today’s announcement, we continue to build our diverse, hard-working team with leaders who will bring decades of public health experience to their roles," Shapiro said in a statement.

Arkoosh was widely thought to be a candidate for Secretary of Health, but Shapiro also announced Wednesday that the role would be filled by Allegheny County health official Debra Bogen.

The Department of Human Services are responsible for a wide range of issues, including the state's psychiatric hospitals, long term care programs, services for those with developmental disabilities, foster care, juvenile justice, autism services, behavioral care, and more.

Arkoosh said she was "extremely honored" by the nomination and "fully prepared" for the work, citing her 20 years of experience in Philadelphia teaching hospitals and her 8 years helming Montgomery County, the largest county in Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia and Allegheny.

“DHS provides services to care and support Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable individuals and families," she said. "As Secretary, I will continue the Department’s critical work to help Pennsylvanians lead safe, healthy, and productive lives through trauma-informed services."

During the pandemic, Arkoosh was hailed by supporters as a fierce advocate of smart health policy — and criticized by Republicans as too heavy-handed in school and economic shutdowns. While often aligned with others in her part, Arkoosh sharply critical of decisions made by the Wolf Administration and the Department of Health surrounding distribution of the vaccine.

A medical doctor who later earned a Masters in Public Health from Johns Hopkins, Arkoosh was previously President of the National Physicians Alliance. She has been the chair of the three-person Board of Commissioners since 2016, when she succeeded Shapiro.

Montgomery County's Court of Common Pleas is charged with finding Arkoosh's replacement on the Board.