PHOTO COURTESY VICTOR ARMSTRONG

Victor Armstrong is the new chief health equity officer at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Victor Armstrong is the first chief health equity officer at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

The department announced on Monday that Armstrong was appointed the position after creating an Office of Health Equity to “advance health equity and reduce disparities for marginalized populations.” Former state Sen. Angela Bryant will work alongside Armstrong as assistant secretary of equity and inclusion of NCDHHS on health equity.

“Today’s announcement marks another step forward in our commitment to embed equity into every aspect of our work and to promote an inclusive, equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve, where everyone feels a sense of belonging, and our diverse backgrounds and experiences are valued and recognized as strengths,” said DHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen M.D. “We are fortunate to bring on two leaders with tremendous talent, experience, and dedication to public service.”

Armstrong, who will oversee the Office of Health Equity, Office of Rural Health, and Office of Diversity and Inclusion, will also serve on NCDHHS’s executive leadership team and lead the department’s goal of “promoting health equity, diversity and inclusion” across the state. He will be responsible for “developing, implementing, and facilitating health equity strategies” throughout the department.

“I feel honored to be stepping into the Chief Health Equity Officer role, particularly when a focus on health equity is so badly needed, and I applaud Governor [Roy] Cooper and Secretary Cohen for taking the initiative to create such a position,” said Armstrong. “Health equity only exists when all people have the opportunity to attain their full health potential, and no one is disadvantaged because of their social position or other socially determined circumstance. We only arrive at health equity through intentionality.”

Armstrong has worked more than 30 years in human services, primarily focusing on creating and strengthening resources to serve historical marginalized communities. He joined NCDHHS last year as director of the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, Substance Abuse Services. Prior to that, Armstrong spent six years as vice president of behavioral health at Charlotte-based Atrium Health, where he was responsibile for operations of the company’s largest behavioral health hospital, Behavioral Health Charlotte.

Armstrong is a nationally recognized speaker on health equity and access to healthcare, as it relates to individuals living with mental health challenges.

“This is a very urgent time to focus our resources on maximizing health and wellness for all North Carolinians,” Bryant said. “I am pleased to be a part of this DHHS team, with Chief Armstrong, to work on the in-depth collaborations that will be needed to accomplish the serious and complex goals needed, both internally and externally, to advance health equity.”

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