Gov. announces Doug Harringon to lead MT Department of Public Health and Human Services

For the third time this year, a Montana agency director is leaving Gov. Greg Gianforte’s administration for the private sector.

The Governor’s Office on Tuesday announced that Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Director Charlie Brereton will step down on Oct. 30. 

Doug Harrington, the department’s state medical officer, will take over as director. 

In a press statement, Gianforte said Brereton has been a “transformational leader” in his administration. 

“From starting as a policy advisor for health care to leading Montana’s largest agency, he has truly left a mark,” Gianforte said. “Under Charlie’s leadership, Montana has made historic investments in our broken behavioral health system, secured significant, transformational funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program, and helped make Montanans more self-sufficient.”

Brereton’s departure to “pursue an opportunity in the private sector” after four years as head of the health department marks a trend in turnover across state agencies this year. 

In July, Misty Ann Giles, who led the Department of Administration since 2021, left for a leadership role at a telecommunications infrastructure company, and in August, Department of Transportation Director Chris Dorrington also said he was moving to the private sector. 

Gianforte named an immediate replacement for Giles — former Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development Mark Blasdel — while the transportation role has not been filled. 

Harrington, Gianforte’s replacement for DPHHS, has been the state’s medical officer since 2023, and has led statewide public health policy and administration as well as providing medical oversight to the department, according to a press release. 

“Having been born and raised in Montana, I am honored to accept this new role and to serve the people of Montana as a member of Gov. Gianforte’s team,” Harrington said. “Charlie Brereton has delivered real results for our state, and I look forward to building on that foundation to strengthen the health, safety, and well-being of Montanans.”

Gianforte’s office highlighted Brereton’s work to increase access to behavioral health care and invest in rural health care across Montana, including securing a $233 million federal investment to “stabilize and modernize rural health care delivery throughout the state.” 

The state is set to receive $1.2 billion over the course of the five-year program. 

The department also dealt with a $34.4 million budget shortfall this year, which required state special funds to cover the shortfall and led to the department reneging on a planned 3% increase in Medicaid provider rates.   

Brereton also “modernized and restructured the agency,” according to the press release, which included establishing a dedicated health care facilities management arm, expanded bed capacity, and investments in IT, replacing numerous legacy systems.

“It has been a great honor to serve Montanans as director of DPHHS,” Brereton said. “Few roles offer such an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, and I am proud of the progress our team has made across every aspect of the department and throughout Montana’s health and human services system.”