(Helena) – Governor Greg Gianforte announced on Tuesday, that the director of Montana’s largest state agency is stepping down.
Charlie Brereton will leave the Department of Public Health and Human Services on October 30 to join the private sector. Since 2022, Brereton oversaw major shifts at the agency, including a 300-million-dollar behavioral health system overhaul and securing over 200 million dollars in federal rural health funding. Governor Gianforte praised Brereton as a transformational leader.
Taking over as acting director will be Dr. Doug Harrington, the department’s current State Medical Officer. A Montana native, Dr. Harrington brings over 40 years of medical experience, including work on early heart transplant teams and holding multiple patents in cardiac diagnostics. Harrington says he is honored to take on the role and plans to build on the department’s current momentum
