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Van Mitchell
Mitchell in 2016
Maryland Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene
In office
February 13, 2015 – December 15, 2016
Acting: January 21, 2015 – February 13, 2015
GovernorLarry Hogan
Preceded byJoshua Sharfstein
Succeeded byDennis Schrader
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 28th district
In office
January 11, 1995 – September 30, 2004
Preceded byRedistricting
Succeeded byMurray D. Levy
Personal details
Born (1955-11-28) November 28, 1955 (age 68)
La Plata, Maryland, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Children2
EducationCampbell University

Van T. Mitchell (born November 28, 1955) is an American politician who served as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health from 2015 to 2016. A member of the Democratic Party, Mitchell previously served as the principal deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of Health from 2004 to 2007 and as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1995 to 2004.

Early life and education[edit]

Mitchell was born in La Plata, Maryland, on November 28, 1955. He graduated from La Plata High School before attending Campbell University.[1]

Career[edit]

Mitchell was the chief executive officer of MSI Inc., a construction supply business, from 1985 to 2006.[1] His company's warehouse and lumber yard were destroyed during the 2002 La Plata tornado.[2][3] After Governor Bob Ehrlich left office in 2007, Mitchell worked as an associate for Manis, Canning and Associates from 2008 to 2015, and as a lobbyist for Cornerstone Government Affairs since 2017.[1]

Mitchell first became involved in politics in 1982, when he became a member of the Charles County Democratic Central Committee. He served on the Town of La Plata's Business District Commission and the Charles County Community College Board of Trustees from 1993 to 1995.[1]

Maryland House of Delegates[edit]

Mitchell was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1994 and sworn in on January 11, 1995. He was a member of the Economic Matters Committee from 1995 to 2003, including as the chair of its workers compensation subcommittee from 1999 to 2003, the Appropriations Committee in 2003, and the Environmental Matters Committee in 2004. He was also the chair of the Southern Maryland Delegation from 1996 to 2002 and the Charles County Delegation from 2003 to 2004.[1] During his tenure, Mitchell supported efforts to increase funding for school construction and local highways, including the construction of bypasses around Waldorf and Hughesville.[4]

In April 2004, Mitchell announced that he would not seek re-election in 2006, saying that he wanted to spend more time working at his business and with local charities.[4] He resigned from office early after Governor Bob Ehrlich appointed him as principal deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of Health in September 2004.[5]

Maryland Department of Health[edit]

On December 23, 2014, Maryland Governor-elect Larry Hogan appointed Mitchell to be his Secretary for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.[6] Mitchell's appointment was confirmed by the Maryland Senate on February 13, 2015,[7] and he was sworn in later that day.[1] During his tenure, Mitchell focused on efforts to tackle the opioid epidemic in Maryland[8][9] and oversaw the state's response to a capacity crisis at state hospitals from mid-to-late 2016.[10][11]

On December 15, 2016, amid pressure from state legislators to more promptly care for criminal defendants awaiting psychological evaluations, Mitchell resigned as Secretary of Health effective immediately to "pursue opportunities in the private sector".[12] He was succeeded by Dennis Schrader, who previously served as Governor Hogan's appointments secretary.[13]

In August 2019, Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Miller Jr. and House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones named Mitchell to serve as the chair of the Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board.[14]

Personal life[edit]

Mitchell is married and has two children.[1]

Electoral history[edit]

Maryland House of Delegates District 28 Democratic primary election, 1994[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Samuel C. Linton 3,987 21.4
Democratic Van T. Mitchell 3,427 18.4
Democratic Ruth Ann Hall 3,388 18.2
Democratic Warren A. Bowie 2,967 16.0
Democratic Edith J. Patterson 2,649 14.2
Democratic Scott Hunter 2,175 11.7
Maryland House of Delegates District 28 election, 1994[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Van T. Mitchell 12,289 17.9
Democratic Samuel C. Linton 11,993 17.5
Republican Thomas E. Hutchins 11,507 16.8
Republican Gerald Schuster 11,416 16.6
Democratic Ruth Ann Hall 11,176 16.3
Republican Adam M. O'Kelley 10,295 15.0
Maryland House of Delegates District 28 election, 1998[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Thomas E. Hutchins (incumbent) 18,012 22.8
Democratic Van T. Mitchell (incumbent) 17,835 22.6
Democratic Samuel C. Linton (incumbent) 17,268 21.9
Republican James Crawford 12,780 16.2
Republican Michael D. Hathaway 11,757 14.9
Republican George C. Vann (write-in) 1,333 1.7
Maryland House of Delegates District 28 election, 2002[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Thomas E. Hutchins (incumbent) 19,037 20.3
Democratic Sally Y. Jameson 18,476 19.7
Democratic Van T. Mitchell (incumbent) 18,238 19.5
Democratic Jim Jarboe 16,577 17.7
Republican James Crawford 12,109 12.9
Republican Robert Boudreaux 9,289 9.9
Write-in 48 0.1

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Van T. Mitchell, Maryland Secretary of Health & Mental Hygiene". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  2. ^ Barnhardt, Laura; Calvert, Scott (April 30, 2002). "La Plata twister Md.'s worst". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  3. ^ "La Plata's future: mend or amend?". The Baltimore Sun. July 21, 2002. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Amon, Michael; McCaffrey, Raymond (April 29, 2004). "Mitchell Will End Assembly Tenure". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  5. ^ Partlow, Joshua (October 10, 2004). "Three More Seek Delegate Post". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  6. ^ Wagner, John (December 23, 2014). "Hogan taps former Ehrlich official to head health agency, fills five other Cabinet spots". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  7. ^ Johnson, Jenna (February 13, 2015). "After power-flexing delay, Md. Senate approves Hogan's appointments". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  8. ^ Marbella, Jean (March 11, 2016). "Maryland clinics receive $1.8 million to treat heroin, opioid addicts". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  9. ^ Hicks, Josh (September 22, 2016). "Maryland reports another sharp spike in overdose deaths". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  10. ^ Morse, Dan (June 7, 2016). "Mental-health crisis ensnares inmates, judges, jailers and hospitals". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  11. ^ Dresser, Michael (August 2, 2016). "Maryland health chief says it was mistake not to seek more money for mental health beds". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  12. ^ Sears, Bryan P. (December 15, 2016). "Mitchell resigns, to be replaced by Schrader at DMMH". Daily Record. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  13. ^ Wiggins, Ovetta (December 15, 2016). "Hogan names a new health secretary to replace Van Mitchell". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  14. ^ Kurtz, Josh (August 23, 2019). "Legislative Leaders, Frosh Tap Prescription Drug Board Members, Await Hogan Action". Maryland Matters. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  15. ^ "1994 Gubernatorial Primary Election Results". elections.maryland.gov. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  16. ^ "1994 Gubernatorial General Election Results". elections.maryland.gov. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  17. ^ "1998 Gubernatorial General Election Results". elections.maryland.gov. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  18. ^ "2002 Gubernatorial General - Official Results". elections.maryland.gov. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
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