The State senate confirmed a new Department of Health and Social Services Secretary Tuesday.
Current DHSS secretary, Dr. Kara Odom Walker, is leaving this summer to help lead Nemours National Office of Policy & Prevention in Washington D.C.
Gov. John Carney nominated deputy secretary, Molly Magarik to fill the position.
At her nomination hearing yesterday, Republican State Senator Gerald Hocker expressed concern over how DHSS will handle any increase in COVID-19 cases - specifically if the department would once again recommend closing all businesses.
Magarik explains the state anticipates taking a different approach should that occur.
“The evolution of the response and the approach to a second wave is to be much more targeted and to leverage our new resources around testing and contact tracing. To be more surgical in the strength around going into particular communities or identifying clusters as opposed to taking a broad brush stroke that we know has dramatic impacts on the economy.”
Gov. John Carney was asked about Magarick’s qualifications at his weekly news yesterday (Tuesday) - and whether the department would be better served by someone with a medical degree.
Carney noted DHSS isn’t just about medicine.
“She’s got great physician support. That is absolutely critically important in that department, that’s a much bigger department than the public health side with expertise that I know she will utilize and provide the leadership that we need.”
Carney also mentioned that Magarik is currently working on a master degree in Health Care Delivery Science and has served as deputy secretary for over 3 years.
State Senators unanimously confirmed Margarik - who has served as DHSS deputy secretary since February 2017.
Roman Battaglia is a corps member withReport for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms.
