The Trump administration has appointed Timothy Westlake, an emergency physician with experience in addiction policy, to lead the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Westlake, who has played a key role in Wisconsin's opioid response efforts, will now oversee the federal agency responsible for mental health and substance use disorder programs. His appointment comes at a critical time as the US faces rising overdose deaths and a growing mental health crisis.
The Trump administration has selected Timothy Westlake, an emergency medicine physician, to serve as the next leader of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The appointment was made quietly, with little public announcement, despite the agency's critical role in addressing the nation's mental health and addiction crises.
Westlake currently serves as the medical director of the Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital Emergency Department in Wisconsin. He has also been actively involved in state level addiction policy, particularly in response to the opioid epidemic. His background in emergency medicine, where he frequently treats patients with substance use disorders, may bring a frontline perspective to federal policy.
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