The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors appointed Dr. Christopher Farnitano as the new County Health Officer at its July 10, 2018 meeting. The Health Officer is the chief medical official in Contra Costa.
Dr. Farnitano, who joined Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) in 1991, has medical oversight and authority to protect the health and safety of county residents, including communicable disease control, environmental health, hazardous materials, vital records and emergency medical services.
CCHS Director Anna M. Roth said that Dr. Farnitano is a natural fit for his new role, stating, “Chris is a dedicated physician with a career’s worth of experience serving the public in Contra Costa County.”
“He is uniquely qualified to continue our long-standing work to care for and improve the health of everyone in our county, with special attention to the most vulnerable,” added Roth.
Dr. Farnitano was previously a deputy county health officer, Ambulatory Care Director and Director of Process Redesign and System Integration at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center (CCRMC), a division of Contra Costa Health Services. At CCRMC, Dr. Farnitano held previous posts as assistant director of the residency program and Chair of the Family Medicine Department.
He received his medical degree from the Duke University School of Medicine and joined CCHS as a family medicine resident 27 years ago.
