HHS announces leadership team appointments

By

Eli Kirshbaum

|

Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Cecile Erwin Young today announced key appointments to HHSC’s leadership team who will help guide the agency’s regulatory oversight of licensed facilities, manage the state’s 10 psychiatric hospitals and 13 state supported living centers, and provide strategic direction for policy and rule development.

Leadership positions announced by Executive Commissioner Young:

  • Stephen Pahl, deputy executive commissioner, Regulatory Services Division, started Aug. 16.
  • Scott Schalchlin, deputy executive commissioner, Health and Specialty Care System, starting Aug. 25.
  • Libby Camp Elliott, deputy executive commissioner, Office of Policy and Rules, starting Sept. 7.

“These three individuals bring a tremendous combined wealth of knowledge and experience to the agency and I’m confident with their proven leadership we will continue to fulfill our mission of protecting the health and safety of the Texans we serve.” said Young. “We welcome them to the HHS executive team.”

Stephen Pahl has served as associate commissioner for the Consumer Protection Division at the Department of State Health Services since 2018. In that role, he was responsible for overseeing the licensing of emergency medical service providers, radiation machine technicians, and the regulation of consumer health goods and services, including food and drug manufacturers. Prior to this, he was the assistant deputy for the Inspections and Investigations Division for the Texas HHS Office of Inspector General. He began his career in state government at the Texas Department of Agriculture where he spent 18 years developing and implementing the agency’s diverse consumer protection programs. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in animal science from Texas A&M University.

Scott Schalchlin has served as associate commissioner for the state supported living centers (SSLC) since 2013, both at the legacy Department of Aging and Disability Services and at HHSC since 2017. Schalchlin has also served in various leadership roles over intellectual and developmental disability community services and waiver programs, SSLCs, and Medicaid managed care programs. He has worked at Rusk State Hospital, Lubbock SSLC, Waco Center for Youth, as well as StarCare Lubbock and two psychiatric prisons operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Schalchlin has a J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law, a Master of Education from Texas Tech University, and a bachelor’s degree from Wayland Baptist University.

Libby Camp Elliott has served as associate commissioner for Agency Affairs and Government Relations director at the Texas Department of Insurance. Previously, she was a senior policy adviser to Gov. Greg Abbott. She served as the chair of the Texas State Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision and as the Texas commissioner to the Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision. Elliott began her public service in Texas state government in 1989 working for the late State Sen. Teel Bivins of Amarillo. She also served in the gubernatorial and presidential administrations of George W. Bush as well as other statewide elected office holders. Elliott holds a B.A. in criminal justice from St. Edward’s University.

This press release was provided by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.