HARTFORD, Conn. — President Joe Biden announced on Friday that he has nominated the current commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, for assistant secretary for the mental health and substance use with the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Dr. Delphin-Rittmon lives in Meriden and has served as commissioner for DMHAS since 2015. Before that, she worked with the state agency in multiple positions.
Gov. Ned Lamont praised the nomination, explaining how well she has done her job here in Connecticut.
“Commissioner Delphin-Rittmon has been a trusted advisor on some of the leading issues of our time, especially when it comes to the national impact of the opioid crisis and the growing mental health needs of our community following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Gov. Lamont said. “That is why it comes as no surprise that President Biden has selected her to bring her expertise to the national level. I am grateful to have had her partnership in our administration, and while it is bittersweet that she is moving onto this new opportunity, I know that those of us in Connecticut can continue relying on her to be a trusted ally to advance these critical issues that she has advocated over these many years.”
In 2014, Dr. Delphin-Rittmon served under President Obama for two years as a senior advisor to the administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
“I am truly humbled and honored to have been nominated to serve in this role and thank President Biden and Vice President Harris for this privilege,” Commissioner Delphin-Rittmon said. “If confirmed, I look forward to joining the Biden-Harris administration to address the behavioral health of the nation during this challenging and transformative time. I want to thank Governor Ned Lamont for allowing me to continue to serve the people of Connecticut. We have done incredible work at the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services since I joined in 2015, and that’s due to the hard work and dedication of the employees who work on behalf of the individuals we serve every day. If confirmed, I will miss working with this exceptional group of professionals, but I am also proud to bring the lessons I have learned alongside this team as I head to SAMHSA.”
If her nomination is approved, she would be responsible for leading SAMHSA. She would be several Connecticut administrators appointed by President Biden like Dr. Miguel Cardona.
Gov. Lamont said he will give updates regarding the leadership for DMHAS in the coming weeks.
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