Mitch Katz to Head L.A. County’s Consolidated Health Agency

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has formally announced the selection of Health Services Director Mitch Katz as head of the county’s new consolidated healthcare agency. Katz’s appointment was finalized during a closed-session meeting Tuesday, two months after the board approved the major bureaucratic overhaul.

In his current capacity, Katz oversees a network of county hospitals and clinics with around 20,000 employees and a budget of $4.8 billion. Going forward, Katz will oversee the consolidated superagency consisting of the Health Services Department plus the mental and public health departments.

Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich called Katz a “skilled leader with extensive experience in managing the delivery of medical services in hospitals and clinics.” That experience allows Katz to understand “the unique services provided by the county’s three departments being integrated under the Health Agency,” Antonovich added. 

According to county spokesman David Sommers, Katz’s stay is likely temporary, with a permanent director expected to be appointed in the future. Katz has requested that his current salary of $419,655 remain unchanged.

Read more about Tuesday’s selection here.