Director - Detroit Health Department
ABOUT THE SHEFFIELD ADMINISTRATION
Detroit is entering a historic new chapter under Mayor-Elect Mary Sheffield, the city’s first woman to serve as Mayor. Elected with a decisive mandate, Mayor-Elect Sheffield brings a steady, community-rooted approach to governing—one focused on listening to residents, healing long-standing divides, and delivering meaningful improvements in daily life across every neighborhood. She will take office on January 1, 2026, with a commitment to building a city that lifts every family and expands opportunity for all.
As she forms her administration, Mayor-Elect Sheffield is assembling a talented, diverse team of leaders who bring deep expertise, lived experience, and the courage to put forward bold, innovative ideas that move Detroit forward. Her team will drive a City government grounded in collaboration, equity, transparency, and results. The Sheffield Administration seeks mission-driven individuals who are ready to serve, ready to build, and ready to help shape Detroit’s future.
ABOUT THE OFFICE
The Detroit Health Department protects and promotes the health, safety, and well‑being of all Detroiters through prevention, public-health programming, community partnerships, and neighborhood‑based services. As Detroit enters a new era of integrated health and human services under the Sheffield Administration, the Health Department plays a central role in advancing health equity, strengthening maternal and infant health, addressing chronic disease, expanding behavioral‑health supports, and ensuring residents have access to the resources they need to thrive. Public health in Detroit extends far beyond clinical care—it includes safe housing, stable income, clean air and water, mental‑health supports, environmental resilience, homelessness response, and family‑support systems. The department works closely with the new Department of Human, Homeless & Family Services, Neighborhood Opportunity & Empowerment Hubs, Detroit Public Schools Community District, DWIHN, hospitals, community organizations, and residents to build a healthier, more resilient Detroit.
The next Director of the Detroit Health Department will have a unique opportunity to accelerate this momentum — expanding community-based prevention programs, strengthening maternal and infant health supports, addressing environmental-justice concerns, and advancing behavioral-health resources for youth and families. Working closely with state and federal agencies, healthcare systems, academic institutions, and community partners — and guided by Mayor-Elect Sheffield’s commitment to building a city “where every family feels supported” — the Chief will help close long-standing health gaps and build healthier, more resilient neighborhoods across Detroit.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Director of the Detroit Health Department serves as Detroit’s senior public‑health executive, responsible for shaping the City’s health agenda, directing major public‑health programs, overseeing population‑level health strategies, and leading cross‑agency efforts to address the social, economic, environmental, and behavioral drivers of health. The Director leads Detroit’s public‑health response across maternal and infant health, chronic disease, environmental health, food security, behavioral health, preventative care, and emergency preparedness. The role requires an equity‑centered, community‑rooted leader with deep experience integrating mental and behavioral health with housing, homelessness, education, senior services, and human‑services systems to improve outcomes for residents across all neighborhoods. This role is responsible for neighborhood-based public health programming such as localized testing, and addressing Detroit’s disparate mortality rates.
This role will drive the administration’s housing and neighborhood priorities, including:
Implement public‑health components of the 7‑Point Homelessness Action Plan, including behavioral‑health supports, crisis response, medical outreach, and dignified shelter access.
Embed health access into Neighborhood Opportunity & Empowerment Hubs, ensuring walk‑in immunizations, case management, maternal‑health supports, and behavioral‑health resources.
Lead expansion of mental‑health and trauma‑informed services, including crisis‑response partnerships with DWIHN, EMS, Fire, and community providers.
Strengthen maternal and infant health outcomes through expanded prenatal and postpartum care, doula access, and newborn‑family supports.
Partner with Senior Services to improve aging‑in‑place supports, chronic‑disease management, and household‑stability interventions.
Strengthen environmental‑health response for flooding, heat events, poor air quality, industrial emissions, and climate‑related health risks.
Support poverty‑reduction efforts with universal screening for food security, utilities, transportation, behavioral‑health needs, and chronic disease.
Coordinate with DPSCD and youth‑serving agencies to address health drivers of chronic absenteeism, including asthma, mental health, and housing instability.
Ensure culturally competent, language‑accessible care for immigrant communities and residents with limited English proficiency.
Integrate public health into returning‑citizen supports, including screenings, behavioral health, and trauma‑recovery services.
This description outlines the general nature and key responsibilities of the role and is not intended to be exhaustive; duties, responsibilities, and activities may be modified at the discretion of the Mayor.
Core responsibilities include:
Lead Detroit’s population‑level public‑health strategy with a focus on prevention, health equity, and community‑centered service delivery.
Oversee public‑health programs including communicable‑disease prevention, maternal and infant health, chronic disease, environmental health, behavioral health, and clinical services.
Direct public‑health components of Detroit’s homelessness‑response system, including outreach, health supports, crisis stabilization, and integrated case management.
Integrate public health with the new Department of Human, Homeless & Family Services and Neighborhood Opportunity & Empowerment Hubs.
Expand community‑based mental‑health, trauma‑informed, and crisis‑response services through partnerships with DWIHN, Fire, EMS, and hospitals.
Strengthen maternal and infant health supports, including prenatal and postpartum care, doula networks, lactation services, and newborn‑health programs.
Coordinate environmental‑health monitoring and response to flooding, air‑quality issues, industrial impacts, and other environmental hazards.
Advance youth and school‑based health programs in collaboration with DPSCD, including efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism and address behavioral‑health needs.
Oversee clinical operations and community‑based care delivery, including immunizations, STI testing, harm‑reduction services, and primary‑care partnerships.
Promote culturally responsive, language‑accessible health services for immigrant communities and residents with limited English proficiency.
Collaborate with Senior Services to support aging‑in‑place programs, chronic‑disease management, and household‑stability interventions.
Lead emergency‑preparedness planning and response for public‑health crises, disease outbreaks, and environmental emergencies.
Strengthen data systems, analytics, and reporting to monitor population‑level health trends and guide policy decisions.
Represent the City in public‑health collaborations, regional partnerships, and intergovernmental forums.
Qualifications:
Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH), or a closely related graduate degree, Doctor of Medicine (MD) preferred but not required.
Extensive executive-level experience in public-health leadership within a city, county, state agency, or major health system.
Demonstrated commitment to health equity and social justice, including experience addressing racial, economic, and neighborhood-based health disparities.
Proven ability to apply an equity lens to program design, budgeting, resource allocation, and policy development.
Experience partnering with community-based organizations, neighborhood leaders, advocacy groups, and faith communities to co-create health strategies and strengthen public trust.
Strong grounding in epidemiology and data-driven decision-making, including the ability to use data to set equity targets, measure outcomes, and guide strategy.
Ability to collaborate effectively with hospitals, clinical partners, academic institutions, state and federal agencies, and cross-sector partners (housing, education, workforce, transportation, public safety).
Experience in emergency preparedness, environmental health, maternal and infant health, population health, or communicable disease prevention.
Skilled in navigating politically sensitive issues with sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and cultural humility.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex health issues to residents, policymakers, and community stakeholders.
Proven success leading teams, managing change, and strengthening organizational culture in fast-paced public-health or governmental environments.
Deep commitment to Detroit’s neighborhoods, resident-centered service, and improving health outcomes across all communities.
Rate of Pay: $166,494 – $200,000 annually, commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Benefits: Our goal is to attract and retain a highly skilled workforce by providing generous healthcare and other benefits to eligible employees. Learn more about benefits for City of Detroit employees.
Equal Opportunity in Employment: The Sheffield Administration is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. Even if you do not meet all of the requirements listed above, we encourage you to apply if you believe you have the skills, experience, and expertise necessary to thrive in this role. The City of Detroit is an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage candidates of all backgrounds—including those historically underrepresented in municipal government—to apply.