Paul E. Jarris, MD, MBA was appointed Executive Director of the
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) effective
June 19, 2006.  Prior to his appointment as executive director, Dr.
Jarris served on the ASTHO Executive Committee from 2003 to 2006.
 
Dr. Jarris served as State Health Official of the Vermont Department of
Health from March 2003 to May 2006.  In that capacity he oversaw a
department serving the public health, mental health and substance abuse
needs of all Vermonters.  During his tenure, Dr. Jarris implemented The
Vermont Blueprint for Health: The Chronic Care Initiative.  The
Blueprint for Health is a public-private strategic framework launched by
Governor Jim Douglas.  The Blueprint is a public-private partnership of
state government, health insurance plans, business and community
leaders, health care providers, and consumers.  The program is built on
the premise that the prevention of chronic illness, coupled with
improved care, will help Vermonters live healthier lives and reduce the
overall demand for costly medical services.
 
Dr. Jarris was also instrumental in developing treatment options for
vulnerable Vermonters living with addiction.  He lead the establishment
Vermont’s first inpatient substance abuse treatment program dedicated to
adolescent and women’s care.  He successfully introduced mobile
methadone clinics to serve rural Vermonters and increased statewide
clinical capacity to deliver Burprenorphine treatment.  He graduated
from the University of Vermont and received his MD degree from the
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1984.  He interned at
Duke-Watts Family Medicine Residency Program in Durham, NC and completed
his residency at the Swedish Family Practice Residency Program in
Seattle, Washington in 1987.  Following residency training, he completed
a fellowship in Faculty Development and received a Masters in Business
Administration from the University of Washington in 1989.
 
Dr. Jarris served as Medical Director for Vermont’s largest nonprofit
HMO, Community Health Plan, from 1992-1996.  In this capacity he had
responsibility for quality improvement, resource management, practice
relations, and medical affairs. He was
 
President and CEO of Vermont Permanente Medical Group from 1998-2000 as
well as founding CEO of Primary Care Health Partners, Vermont’s largest
statewide primary care medical group, from 1999-2000.
 
He is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and the
American Board of Medical Management.  He also serves as a member of the
Institute of Medicine’s Board on Health Sciences Policy.