Walker Leaving DHHR to Head GO HELP

Martha Walker is switching heath care posts within the Manchin administration.

The governor told The Associated Press and others Thursday that Walker would step down as Health and Human Resources secretary Sept. 1 to become acting director of the Governor’s Office of Health Enhancement and Lifestyle Planning.

As AP explains, "lawmakers created GO HELP this year to pursue ways to improve and expand West Virginia’s health care system, while coordinating with existing programs and services."

Manchin has named Patsy Hardy, a 24-year veteran of the state's hospital industry, as Walker's successor at DHHR.

Her career "includes terms as chief executive of St. Joseph’s in Parkersburg and the former Putnam General in Hurricane," AP reports. "Hardy currently operates a Harley Davidson motorcycle dealership in Ohio."

Others with coverage include The Charleston Gazette. The News and Sentinel of Parkersburg focuses on Hardy, a local native.