Healthcare >> Analyst Interviews >> December 5, 2001
KEVIN W. CONCANNON became Maine's Department of Human Services
Commissioner in 1995. Previously, he was Director of the Oregon
Department of Human Resources from 1987-1995. From 1982-1987, he was
Commissioner of the Maine Department of Mental Health and Mental
Retardation. From 1980'1982, he was Maine's Commissioner of the
Department of Mental Health and Corrections. Mr. Concannon has overseen
major programs and innovations during his leadership in Maine, Oregon,
and as national president of two organizations. He has led nationally
recognized initiatives in expanding community systems of care for people
with mental illness, long-term care systems expansion for elders and
disabled people, and has expanded rehabilitation for people with mental
retardation and other disabilities. In public health he has promoted
better integration in policy and programs between medical care and
public health. He has helped transform welfare systems, strengthened
child support, expanded Medicaid and child health insurance, led major
Maine initiatives in prescription drug access and has led efforts to
improve child welfare systems in Maine and Oregon. Mr. Concannon has had
a number of national leadership roles. He was President of the American
Public Welfare Association (1993-94) and a member of the APWA Task Force
on self-sufficiency. He was President of the National Association of
State Mental Health Program Directors in 1987-1988, and served as chair
of that organization's Children's Mental Health section. He served as a
member of the American Public Welfare Association's Board of Directors
and the American Public Human Services Association Board from 1991-1998. Profile
area of healthcare advocacy?
Mr. Concannon: From 1987-1995, I was the head of the Health and Human
Services Agency in the
