Detroit Police Chief James White named new CEO of Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network
Detroit Police Chief James White.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - After a little more than three years as the chief of police in Detroit, James White is taking a job more focused on mental health.
The Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) announced that it selected White as its next President and CEO to lead the organization that provides mental health care to people in Detroit and around Wayne County.
The DWIHN said it interviewed more than 60 candidates and ultimately narrowed it down to two before selecting White. The vote by the board was unanimous to approve White - with one abstention.
"We are very pleased with the choice of Mr. White to continue leading DWIHN and we feel confident that he is the right person for the critical job of leading this organization as we enter this next phase of growth to help our region’s most vulnerable citizens," said Board Chairperson, Dr. Cynthia Taueg.
FOX 2 talked to White about the role in September where he said it was critical to discuss mental health in the city and the county.
"It’s an extremely important role at a critical time for Detroit and Wayne County. We continue to have a mental health crisis in our community that needs to be addressed at multiple levels," White said.
White was named Detroit police chief in August 2021 after then-chief James Craig left the department. During his tenure, he has repeatedly discussed the mental health crises his officers come across daily.
In May 2021, when he was serving as interim chief, White said that mental illness is "a disease that victimizes our community," noting that police "cannot arrest our way through mental illness."
Under his leadership, the department has expanded its critical incident team with the addition of 15 more officers to handle mental health calls to 911 with a trained mental health professional.
A start date for White has not been determined. Interim CEO Manny Singla will continue overseeing operations as White and the DWIHN Board work to determine a start date.