The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously selected Dr. Mitch Katz as the first director of the county’s new unified Health Agency, which will integrate the departments of health services, public health and mental health.

During the past five years, as head of the Department of Health Services, Katz has overseen numerous initiatives that have improved patient care while reducing costs to the public.

Under his stewardship, the department has linked more than 350,000 patients to a primary care home, implemented a new electronic records system, eliminated the agency’s financial deficit and moved more than 1,000 patients from expensive hospital and emergency departments to independent housing.

In his new position, Katz will oversee three departments that were unified by the Board of Supervisors in an August vote. The goal was to create an integrated care system that better aligns physical, behavioral, community and population health. Each department will continue to maintain separate budgets and executive management teams.

“Throughout his career, Dr. Katz has proven to be a skilled leader with extensive experience in managing the delivery of medical services in hospitals and clinics, as well as services for mental health and public health,” said Mayor Michael D. Antonovich. “He understands the unique services provided by the county’s three departments being integrated under the Health Agency and has a strong vision for how they must work together to cost-effectively improve access and quality for L.A. County residents. “

Before coming to Los Angeles, Katz was the director and health officer of the San Francisco Department of Health. He is a graduate of Yale College and Harvard Medical School. He completed an internal medicine residency at USCF Medical School and was an RWJ Clinical Scholar. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences (previously the Institute of Medicine) and recipient of the Los Angeles County Medical Association 2015 Healthcare Champion of the year.

“Integrating mental health, public health and physical health services will enable us to provide better care and better community programming to the residents of Los Angeles County,” Katz said. “Having everyone rowing in the same direction can make a huge difference when dealing with complex social problems. I am grateful to the Board of Supervisors for this opportunity.”

The Supervisors instructed the Chief Executive Officer on Tuesday to negotiate contractual provisions and to return to the Board for final action on the appointment. Katz has requested that his current salary of $419,655 remain the same in his new position.