View source for Assistant Secretary for Health

{{short description|USHHS primary advisor on US public health}}
{{use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox political post
| post                     = Assistant Secretary for Health
| image                    = Admiral Rachel L. Levine.jpg
| incumbent                = [[Admiral (United States)|Admiral]] [[Rachel Levine]], [[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|USPHS]]
| acting                   = no
| incumbentsince           = March 26, 2021
| insignia                 = United States Public Health Service (seal).svg
| insigniasize             = 120
| insigniacaption          = Seal of the United States Public Health Service
| style                    = Assistant Secretary<br />Admiral<ref name="ADM">If also serving in uniform as a [[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|Public Health Service Commissioned Corps]] officer.</ref>
| department               = [[United States Public Health Service|U.S. Public Health Service]]<br />[[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|Commissioned Corps]]
| abbreviation             = ASH<br />ADM<ref name="ADM"/>
| reports_to               = [[United States Secretary of Health and Human Services|Secretary of Health and Human Services]]
| seat                     = [[Hubert H. Humphrey Building]], [[United States Department of Health and Human Services]] (HHS), [[Washington, D.C.]] 
| appointer                = [[President of the United States]]
| appointer_qualified      = with [[United States Senate]] [[advice and consent]]
| termlength               = 
| constituting_instrument  = {{USC|42|202}} and<br/>{{USC|42|207}}
| precursor                = 
| formation                = {{start date and age|1965|11|2}}
| first                    = [[Philip Randolph Lee|Philip R. Lee]]
| website                  = [https://www.hhs.gov/ophs/leadership/ash.html Official website]
| flag                     = Flag of the United States Assistant Secretary for Health.svg
| flagsize                 = 150
| flagcaption              = Flag of the Assistant Secretary for Health
}}

The '''assistant secretary for health''' ('''ASH''') is a [[Officer of the United States|senior U.S. government official]] within the [[United States Department of Health and Human Services]] (HHS). The position is a statutory office ({{USC|42|202}}) and the holder of the office serves as the [[United States Secretary of Health and Human Services|United States Secretary of Health and Human Services's]] primary advisor on matters involving the nation's public health. The assistant secretary oversees all matters pertaining to the [[United States Public Health Service]] (PHS), the main division of the Department of Health and Human Services, for the secretary and provides strategic and policy direction. The Public Health Service comprises almost all of the agency divisions of the Department of Health and Human Services including the [[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps]], one of the eight [[Uniformed services of the United States|federal uniformed services]], comprising more than 6,500 uniformed health professionals who serve with the Department of Health and Human Services, or are assigned to work within other [[List of federal agencies in the United States|federal agencies]], including the [[United States Armed Forces]].

The assistant secretary is a civilian or a uniformed officer of the [[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|commissioned corps]] and is nominated for appointment by the [[President of the United States|president]]. The nominee must also be confirmed via majority by the [[United States Senate|Senate]]. The assistant secretary serves at the pleasure of the president. Appointees who are a serving uniformed officer of the commissioned corps, by statute, are appointed as a [[4-star rank|four-star]] [[Admiral (United States)|admiral]] and is the highest ranking officer in the commissioned corps,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.usphs.gov/AboutUs/uniforms.aspx |title= PHSCC Uniforms |access-date= 2008-01-19 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080513175033/http://www.usphs.gov/AboutUs/uniforms.aspx |archive-date= 2008-05-13 |url-status= dead }}</ref><ref name="42 USC 207">{{cite web |title= 42 USC 207. Grades, ranks, and titles of commissioned corps |url= https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/207 |access-date= 2008-01-19}}</ref> as no other position in the Public Health Service is designated as a four-star office. The president may also nominate a civilian appointee to also be appointed a [[direct commission officer|direct commission]] in the commissioned corps if the nominee so chooses.<ref name="42 USC 207" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM23_3_7.pdf |title=Regular Corps Assimilation Program |access-date=2008-01-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100508142058/http://dcp.psc.gov/eccis/documents/CCPM23_3_7.pdf |archive-date=2010-05-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The assistant secretary's office and its staff make up the [[Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health]] (OASH). The current assistant secretary for health is Admiral [[Rachel Levine]].

==History==
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and Scientific Affairs was established on January 1, 1967, following [[United States Public Health Service reorganizations of 1966–1973|Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1966]]. The plan allowed the [[Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare]] to restructure the [[United States Public Health Service|Public Health Service]] to better serve public health.<ref name="OASH">[https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/514.html#514.3] Records of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health [OASH].</ref> The office was renamed the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health following the Department of Education Organization Act in 1972.<ref name="OASH"/>

== Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health ==
{{Main|Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health}}
As of 2018, the [[Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health]] oversees 12 core public health offices, 10 regional health offices, and 10 presidential and secretarial advisory committees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hhs.gov/ash/index.html|title=Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH)|date=2016-03-30|website=HHS.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-10-17}}</ref>  Prior to 2010, the office was known as the Office of Public Health and Science.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hhs.gov:80/ophs|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100922085609/http://www.hhs.gov/ophs|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-09-22|title=Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH)|date=2010-09-22|access-date=2018-10-17}}</ref>[[File:US PHS O10 insignia.svg|thumb|right|125px|The stars, shoulder boards, and sleeve stripes of the Assistant Secretary for Health if serving in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.]]

==List of assistant secretaries for health==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! rowspan=2| {{abbr|No.|Number}}
! colspan=2| Assistant secretary
! colspan=3| Term
! rowspan=2| Pay schedule or<br/>Service branch
|-
! Portrait
! Name
! Took office
! Left office
! Term length
|-
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 1
| military_rank     = 
| image             = Phillip R. Lee.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Philip R. Lee]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = November 2, 1965
| term_end          = 1969
| timeinoffice      = 3 years
| defence_branch    = [[File:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg|75px]]<br/>[[Executive Schedule|Executive<br/>Schedule IV]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 2
| military_rank     = 
| image             = Portrait gray.png
| officeholder      = [[Roger O. Egeberg]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = July 14, 1969
| term_end          = 1971
| timeinoffice      = 2 years
| defence_branch    = [[File:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg|75px]]<br/>[[Executive Schedule|Executive<br/>Schedule IV]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 3
| military_rank     = 
| image             = Portrait gray.png
| officeholder      = Merlin K. DuVal
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = July 1, 1971
| term_end          = January 20, 1973
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1971|07|01|1973|01|20}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg|75px]]<br/>[[Executive Schedule|Executive<br/>Schedule IV]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 4
| military_rank     = 
| image             = Charles C. Edwards.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Charles C. Edwards]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = April 18, 1973
| term_end          = January 5, 1975
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1973|04|18|1975|01|05}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg|75px]]<br/>[[Executive Schedule|Executive<br/>Schedule IV]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 5
| military_rank     = 
| image             = Dr. Theodore Cooper (1929-1993) (32386255751).jpg
| officeholder      = Theodore Cooper
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = July 1, 1975
| term_end          = 1977
| timeinoffice      = 2 years
| defence_branch    = [[File:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg|75px]]<br/>[[Executive Schedule|Executive<br/>Schedule IV]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 6
| military_rank     = [[Vice admiral (United States)|Vice Admiral]]
| image             = Julius Richmond, Surgeon General official photo.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Julius B. Richmond]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = July 13, 1977
| term_end          = May 14, 1981
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1977|07|13|1981|05|14}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png|75px]]<br/>[[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|U.S. Public<br/>Health Service]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 7
| military_rank     = 
| image             = Portrait gray.png
| officeholder      = [[Edward Brandt Jr.]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 1981
| term_end          = 1984
| timeinoffice      = 3 years
| defence_branch    = [[File:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg|75px]]<br/>[[Executive Schedule|Executive<br/>Schedule IV]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 8
| military_rank     = 
| image             = Portrait gray.png
| officeholder      = [[Robert E. Windom]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 1986
| term_end          = 1989
| timeinoffice      = 3 years
| defence_branch    = [[File:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg|75px]]<br/>[[Executive Schedule|Executive<br/>Schedule IV]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 9
| military_rank     = [[Admiral (United States)|Admiral]]
| image             = James O. Mason USPHS.jpg
| officeholder      = [[James O. Mason]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 1989
| term_end          = 1993
| timeinoffice      = 4 years
| defence_branch    = [[File:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png|75px]]<br/>[[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|U.S. Public<br/>Health Service]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 10
| military_rank     = 
| image             = Phillip R. Lee.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Philip R. Lee]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = July 2, 1993
| term_end          = 1998
| timeinoffice      = 5 years
| defence_branch    = [[File:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg|75px]]<br/>[[Executive Schedule|Executive<br/>Schedule IV]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 11
| military_rank     = Admiral
| image             = David Satcher official photo portrait.jpg
| officeholder      = [[David Satcher]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = February 13, 1998
| term_end          = January 20, 2001
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1998|02|13|2001|01|20}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png|75px]]<br/>[[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|U.S. Public<br/>Health Service]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = -
| military_rank     = [[Rear admiral (United States)#Rear admiral|Rear Admiral]]
| image             = Rear Adm. Arthur J. Lawrence.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Arthur J. Lawrence]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Rear Admiral Arthur J. Lawrence |url=https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/rear-admiral-arthur-j-lawrence/ |website=Council on Strategic Risks |access-date=27 April 2021 |date=24 April 2020}}</ref>
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = January 20, 2001
| term_end          = February 8, 2002
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2001|01|20|2002|02|08}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png|75px]]<br/>[[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|U.S. Public<br/>Health Service]]
| acting            = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 12
| military_rank     = 
| image             = Eve Slater.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Eve Slater]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = February 8, 2002
| term_end          = February 5, 2003
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2002|02|08|2003|02|05}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg|75px]]<br/>[[Executive Schedule|Executive<br/>Schedule IV]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = -
| military_rank     = Rear Admiral
| image             = RADM Cristina V. Beato.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Cristina Beato|Cristina V. Beato]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = February 5, 2003
| term_end          = January 4, 2006
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2003|02|05|2006|01|04}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png|75px]]<br/>[[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|U.S. Public<br/>Health Service]]
| acting            = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 13
| military_rank     = Admiral
| image             = John O Agwunobi.jpg
| officeholder      = [[John O. Agwunobi]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = January 4, 2006
| term_end          = September 4, 2007
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2006|01|04|2007|09|04}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png|75px]]<br/>[[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|U.S. Public<br/>Health Service]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = -
| military_rank     = 
| image             = Don J. Wright official portrait.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Don J. Wright]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = September 4, 2007
| term_end          = March 28, 2008
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2007|09|04|2008|03|28}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg|75px]]<br/>[[Executive Schedule|Executive<br/>Schedule IV]]
| acting            = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 14
| military_rank     = Admiral
| image             = ADM Joxel Garcia.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Joxel García]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = March 28, 2008
| term_end          = January 20, 2009
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2008|03|28|2009|01|20}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png|75px]]<br/>[[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|U.S. Public<br/>Health Service]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = -
| military_rank     = Rear Admiral
| image             = Steven K Galson.jpg
| officeholder      = Steven K. Galson
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = January 22, 2009
| term_end          = June 22, 2009
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2009|01|22|2009|06|22}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png|75px]]<br/>[[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|U.S. Public<br/>Health Service]]
| acting            = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 15
| military_rank     = 
| image             = Howard K. Koh.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Howard K. Koh]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = June 22, 2009
| term_end          = August 1, 2014
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2009|06|22|2014|08|01}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg|75px]]<br/>[[Executive Schedule|Executive<br/>Schedule IV]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = -
| military_rank     = 
| image             = Karen B. DeSalvo.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Karen DeSalvo|Karen B. DeSalvo]]<ref>Received a recess appointment extension on January 1, 2016, under {{USC|5|3346}}(b)(2), to continue serving as the Acting Assistant Secretary for Health until the end of fiscal year 2016.</ref>
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = October 2014
| term_end          = January 3, 2017
| timeinoffice      = More than 2 years
| defence_branch    = [[File:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg|75px]]<br/>[[Executive Schedule|Executive<br/>Schedule IV]]
| acting            = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = -
| military_rank     = 
| image             = Don J. Wright official portrait.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Don J. Wright]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = January 4, 2017
| term_end          = February 15, 2018
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2017|01|04|2018|02|15}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Flag of the United States Senior Executive Service.svg|75px]]<br/>[[Executive Schedule|Executive<br/>Schedule IV]]
| acting            = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 16
| military_rank     = Admiral
| image             = ADM Brett P. Giroir, USPHS.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Brett Giroir|Brett P. Giroir]]
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = February 15, 2018
| term_end          = January 19, 2021
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2018|02|15|2021|01|19}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png|75px]]<br/>[[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|U.S. Public<br/>Health Service]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = -
| military_rank     = Rear Admiral
| image             = Felicia L. Collins.jpg
| officeholder      = Felicia L. Collins
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = January 21, 2021
| term_end          = March 26, 2021
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2021|01|21|2021|03|26}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png|75px]]<br/>[[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|U.S. Public<br/>Health Service]]
| acting            = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 17
| military_rank     = Admiral
| image             = Admiral Rachel L. Levine.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Rachel Levine|Rachel L. Levine]]<ref>Received her commission and four-star rank on October 19, 2021.</ref>
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = March 26, 2021
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2021|03|26|}}
| defence_branch    = [[File:Seal of the USPHS Commissioned Corps.png|75px]]<br/>[[United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps|U.S. Public<br/>Health Service]]
}}
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.hhs.gov/ophs/leadership/ash.html Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH)]
* [https://www.hhs.gov/ash/about-ash/leadership/index.html Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health - Leadership]

{{United States Assistant Secretary for Health}}
{{HHS agencies}}

[[Category:Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health| ]]
[[Category:United States Department of Health and Human Services]]
[[Category:United States Public Health Service]]
[[Category:United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps admirals|*]]