Leith J. States, MD MPH

Chief Medical Officer

Leith.States@hhs.gov

Meet the Chief Medical Officer

The Chief Medical Officer serves by providing policy and programmatic recommendations for critical emerging and long-standing federal issues that impact the medical and social determinants of health. This includes identifying ways to better serve the needs of communities in urban, rural, and tribal areas affected by opioids and other substance use, as well as support healthy aging, and health-related technology development. Using collaborative methods, the Chief Medical Officer seeks to help provide better understanding of public health problems, unique solution development, and impactful delivery and administration.

While the projects are ever-evolving to meet the new demands of the day, current focus is on telehealth, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, data-driven approaches to suicide prevention, and cardiac arrest.

Content created by Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH)
Content last reviewed February 25, 2025