Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has appointed Dr. Helen Arteaga, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, as his Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services. Arteaga, the first Latina CEO of Elmhurst Hospital, will oversee the city’s health services, mental health services, social services, and homelessness services, among other agencies. She will succeed the outgoing Deputy Mayor Suzanne Miles-Gustave.
Leadership Background
Mamdani made the announcement at a press conference at Elmhurst Hospital, citing Arteaga’s ability to guide the hospital through success and adversity since she became CEO in February 2021. Under Arteaga’s nearly five-year tenure, Elmhurst Hospital, a 545-bed Level I Trauma and Academic Medical Center that stood at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, was named as one of the “Best Regional Hospitals” in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital also achieved Health Equity Gold standard certification through the Joint Commission in September 2023, becoming the first in New York State to achieve this recognition.
Arteaga’s Vision
Arteaga described the agencies under her new portfolio as the “safety net” that many New Yorkers rely on to survive. She vowed to reach out to those suffering in silence because they do not know if the government will protect them, promising to ensure they are seen and that solutions are being developed to allow them to thrive. She emphasized that it is the workforce and providers who work hard to get New Yorkers through the hardest times in their lives. Arteaga confirmed she will depart Elmhurst to serve as deputy mayor, stating she would not leave unless it was for something important, and that she sees the impact of Mamdani’s vision.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://us.headtopics.com/news/mamdani-appoints-elmhurst-hospital-ceo-as-deputy-mayor-for-77807152