BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MPG) – Butte County Public Health Officer (BCPH), Dr. Andy Miller, announced his resignation from the Department this past week. Dr. Miller’s last day with the County will be July 10, 2020.

After significant consideration and knowing that his contract was up for renewal in the fall, Dr. Miller felt that it was important to make this decision earlier rather than later. This will give BCPH more time to recruit for his position. Finding a replacement before the fall will be important in the event that COVID-19 returns as predicted by health professionals.

“It has been a privilege getting to know Dr. Miller over the past year. His dedication to this position and to protecting the citizens of Butte County is unparalleled. I understand and support his decision to make a change, but this is a significant loss for the Department and the county as a whole. He will be missed. We have already started working with Butte County Human Resources on a recruitment plan,” stated Danette York, Director of BCPH.

"I am going to miss Dr. Miller and the partnership we built through so many disasters. Our communities have been well served by his years of dedicated service and his tireless response to COVID-19.  Dr. Miller has balanced the competing interests of the public's health and safety with the health of our local economy. I have a tremendous amount of confidence in our Public Health Department, and there is a strong team around the Health Officer who are all supporting the County's response to this virus. We are prepared to recruit for a Health Officer who, like Dr. Miller, will lead us as we bring our economy back and keep this virus at bay,” stated Shari McCracken, Chief Administrative Office for Butte County.

Dr. Miller looks forward to returning to direct patient care in the healthcare delivery system.

“It's been a true honor to work as the Butte County's Health Officer as we have faced extraordinary challenges together. I plan to continue working in Butte County," remarked Dr. Andy Miller, Health Officer for BCPH.

The decision to change paths is in no way related to any particular incident or disagreements.

"Dr. Miller joined Butte County and immediately began responding to disasters. He played a critical role during the Spillway evacuations and again during the Camp Fire when we sheltered thousands of people, many in need of medical services. Dr. Miller has had a tough deal during this Coronavirus response. He really stepped up. The weight on his shoulders is huge, and he keeps going with a balanced approach for all of our residents. We owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude," stated Chair Steve Lambert, Butte County Supervisor.