Christen Linke Young Confirmed by Delaware State Senate as DHSS Secretary

Governor Matt Meyer congratulated Christen Linke Young on her confirmation by the Delaware State Senate as Secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS). Following her confirmation vote, Young was formally sworn in during a ceremony at Legislative Hall in Dover. Governor Meyer said she will chart a path toward a stronger, healthier, and more equitable Delaware, Young, a nationally recognized health policy leader with over 15 years of experience in federal and state government, succeeds Secretary Josette Manning, who left earlier this month to serve as the State Director for U.S. Senator Chris Coons.

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“Christen Linke Young brings unmatched expertise and a deep commitment to making
health and social services work better for every Delaware family,” Governor Matt
Meyer said. “At a time when our state faces real challenges in workforce, behavioral
health, and affordability, she will chart a path toward a stronger, healthier, and more
equitable Delaware.”
As Secretary, Young will oversee one of Delaware’s largest and most complex state
agencies, leading efforts to strengthen public health, expand access to care, and
modernize service delivery across the state.
“It’s an incredible honor to be confirmed by the Senate and to begin this work on behalf
of the people of Delaware,” Secretary Christen Linke Young said. “Governor Meyer
and his team have built a foundation focused on putting people at the center of our
work, and I’m eager to continue that progress. Together with the dedicated DHSS staff,
we’ll focus on improving health outcomes, supporting our workforce, and making sure
every Delawarean can live with dignity and opportunity.”

More About Christen Linke Young:

Christen Linke Young is a nationally recognized health policy leader with more than 15
years of experience in federal and state government. She has served as Deputy
Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and Deputy Assistant to the
President for Health and Veterans from 2021 to 2025. In that role, she led the
Administration’s health policy team as a senior White House staff member, overseeing
implementation of the prescription drug pricing provisions of the Inflation Reduction
Act, efforts to achieve the lowest uninsured rate in U.S. history, and national initiatives
addressing crises in maternal health, mental health, and overdoses.
Before her White House service, Young was Deputy Secretary of the North Carolina
Department of Health and Human Services, leading initiatives in Medicaid, behavioral
health, public health, and social services programs.
She also held senior roles at the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Obama White House. In
addition, she has served as a Fellow at the Brookings Institution, producing nationally
recognized research on health coverage, pricing, and outcomes.
Young holds a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Science from
Stanford University. She is the proud mom to a seven-year-old daughter and a three-
year-old son.