STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCES Bureau for Public Health Bil1J. Crouch Commissioner’s Office Catherine C. Slemp, MD, MPH Cabinet Secretary ‘Commissioner & State Health Officer June 24, 2020 Dear Secretary Crouch | write to provide my resignation from the role of Commissioner and State Health Officer with the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health. It has been an honor to serve you, our staff, our partners, and most importantly the citizens of West Virginia. Together we have worked to advance childhood immunizations, build relationships with local health departments and other partners, address the needs of those struggling with substance use disorder, expand access to contraceptive services and tobacco cessation programs, ensure a safer environment, introduce new breastfeeding supports to our mothers on WIC, respond to outbreaks of Hepatitis A, HIV, and most recently COVID 19. COVID19 is a crisis unlike any most of us have ever seen. | encourage all to stay true to the science, to further work to engage and empower communities to address such an unprecedented situation collectively, to meet people where they are and to move forward together. It is with mutual respect, support, a willingness to look at and understand both the science and the factors that drive them, and a dedication to moving forward together that will get the state through this together. | have nothing but respect and admiration for the staff of the Bureau for Public Health and want to thank them for the work, dedication, and commitment to growth and change that they have and | know will continue to have moving forward. They understand the needs to apply technical knowledge in conjunction with understanding, compassion, and principles of equity to advocate for those that are our most vulnerable. Thank you as well to my colleagues, fellow commissioners, and others across WVDHHR. They are some of the most hard-working persons | have met in my career. In addition, the many partners with whom we work remain so critical to our success in advancing health, and to each of them, | owe a great debt of gratitude. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to transition others into the role. Know that | wish you and the Department all my best. Sincerely, Z 12 OG derngd Catherine C. Slemp, MD, MPH“ Commissioner and State Health Officer 350 Capitol Street, Room 702 + Charleston, West Virginia 25301 + 304-558-2971 + 304-558-1035 (fax) + dhihr.wv-gov