The Mississippi State Department of Health issued the following statement.
Today the Mississippi State Department of Health announces the retirement of State Health Officer Dr. Mary Currier, effective November 1, 2018.
Dr. Currier has served in the role of State Health Officer since January 2010, following her time as MSDH State Epidemiologist. With 34 years in government service, Dr. Currier has also worked for MSDH as a staff physician for its prenatal, family planning, STD, and pediatrics programs and as an associate professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Medicine.
“It has been a privilege to serve in this role for nearly nine years. I have great passion for public health, and I have worked with some of the best people not only in the state, but in the country,” said Dr. Currier. “However, I have three beautiful grandchildren and a wonderful family who need me now. It’s time to pass the baton. I know the field of public health in Mississippi is in great hands.”
Deputy State Health Officer and former State Epidemiologist Dr. Thomas Dobbs will serve as Interim State Health Officer once Dr. Currier retires.
“I was fortunate enough to work with Dr. Currier for several years in my role as a District Health Officer, and then work in tandem with her when I stepped into the State Epidemiologist role in 2012,” said Dr. Dobbs. “Her knowledge of public health and devotion to the people of Mississippi is unmatched. She will be incredibly missed.”
Under Dr. Currier’s leadership, the MSDH has attained numerous accomplishments such as the opening of the state-of-the-art Dr. F.E. “Ed” Thompson State Public Health Laboratory, the organizational transition of the agency from nine public health districts to three regions, and most recently, achieving accreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board.
Board of Health Chairman Dr. Ed D. “Tad” Barham said Dr. Currier’s guidance of the agency for nearly a decade has been both steady and compassionate.
“She’s had to make some tough decisions along the way as the public health arena has dramatically changed in the last several years. I admire her fortitude, and she’s been a great leader of this agency,” said Dr. Barham.
A graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Dr. Currier received her master’s degree and preventive medicine residency training in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. Currier’s bachelor’s degree is from Rice University, and she also attended Trinity College in Dublin.
Currier is a member of the American Medical Association, the Mississippi Central Medical Society, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the American Public Health Association, and is Board certified in General Preventive Medicine and Public Health. She received the Nathan Davis Award for outstanding government service from the American Medical Association in 2016.
15 comments:
I really hope Phil doesn't break precedent and appoint someone over the age of 30 with lots of experience.
The Governor doesn't appoint the SHO, the Board of Health does.
In that case, I really hope that the Board of Health doesn't act against Phil's will and appoint someone above the age of 30 with tons of experience. I prefer youngun's that are blindly loyal to Phil.
Good riddance. So now she can come out in public as a lobbyist for the pharmaceutical companies.
I have worked under Dr. Currier for a few years. Her loyalty to Mississippi in the area of public health has unsurpassed.
Or ambulance companies that want to operate unlicensed. BOH has been turning a blind eye to the problem.
A well deserved retirement, although a tremendous loss to the state. One of the best qualified individuals to ever hold the position if SHO. wish her well in retirement
6:26....AMEN to that! And so has Madison county!
I wonder if she will move to the young and vibrant Jackson that I have often heard about on this site.
She and her husband have an empty nest beautiful home in Madison Cty, so I am sure they won't be living in Jackson.
Dr. Currier is one of the best SHO's in our history, and we have had a number of really great ones. The DOH has run almost flawlessly during her tenure. She was a large part of helping to heal DOH after the disastrous tenure of Dr. Amie (not amongst the great SHO's) after the Legislature dissolved the Board of Health in a successful effort to purge him.
The nitpicking about the one or two areas of difference is expected, as you can't please everyone. But Dr. Currier's time as SHO will be remembered in the very positive light that she deserves.
6:25 You leave us hanging...?
One of the best SHO we've ever had. I wish her well in her retirement. I'm sure 3:58 is an anti-vaccination genius who wants to expose all of our babies to measles and whooping cough.
What has this got to do with ambulance companies? She probably about as involved in that as she is the bandaid contracts at UMMC.
10:22, because BOH co-licenses ambulance companies with the counties. Not saying this fine woman is personally involved, but the BOH is involved or supposed to be.
Madame Currier does not involve herself in the awarding of ambulance contracts. Find another tree up which to pee.
•The Mississippi State Department of Health is governed by an 11-member Board appointed for staggered terms by the Governor.
•The Board meets on the second Wednesday of January, April, July and October.
•The Board provides policy direction for the Agency.
•The Board appoints a State Health Officer to operate the Agency.
•The Board approves the State Health Plan.
•The Board approves all Rules and Regulations of the Agency.
https://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/19,0,124.html
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