City of Long Beach Announces Departure of Health and Human Services Department Director Kelly Colopy
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Long Beach, CA ~ The City of Long Beach announced today that Kelly Colopy, Director of the Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department), will be departing for a new role as Director for the Department of Human Services for Salt Lake County, Utah.

City Manager Tom Modica praised Colopy's leadership and dedication to the city. "Kelly is an unwavering, motivational leader who has navigated us through an unprecedented pandemic, initiatives to end systemic racism, a homeless emergency, and many other critical public health crises. Her leadership and dedication as Health and Human Services Director have made lasting impacts on Long Beach both as an organization and a united community. We wish her all the best in her well-deserved new role in Salt Lake County."

During her tenure with the City of Long Beach, Colopy oversaw more than 55 diverse programs in core public health services as well as social determinants of health such as housing and homelessness, mental health, and family and youth development. The Health Department has over 500 employees at 12 sites throughout Long Beach with an annual budget of $180 million. Under Colopy's leadership, the Health Department became one of the first public health jurisdictions in California to achieve Public Health Accreditation in 2016 which was reaccredited in 2022.

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Colopy also strengthened the Health Department's financial growth through effective fiscal oversight and management while increasing grant funding by nearly $90 million and producing an over $10 million fund balance to support the department during public health crises. She identified funding for and opened the first municipal Office of Equity in Southern California while expanding department services to include violence prevention and reentry, early childhood education, an Office of Youth Development, a Veterans Commission, older adult planning and response, basic needs line and referral system, mental health supports among other initiatives.

Most notably during her time with the City was Colopy's leading role during several critical public health efforts including the City's nationally recognized emergency response to COVID-19 pandemic where she served as Incident Commander for local state of emergency for homelessness. She also played an integral role in developing Racial Equity & Reconciliation Plan & emergency response to summer 2022 Mpox outbreak.

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Colopy expressed her bittersweet feelings about leaving Long Beach saying "The City of Long Beach has been my home for 10 years and I have loved it…I also truly appreciate the partnership of the City's leadership, other Department Directors & community members in coming together through difficult times over these past few years to work toward a healthy & resilient city…I thank you all."

Colopy's last day with the City is October 27th 2023 after which she will return full time to Salt Lake area once she begins her new role. The City Manager will assign an Acting Director while conducting a national recruitment to permanently fill this position.

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