Chinazo Cunningham, MD

Commissioner Chinazo Cunningham, M.D., was appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul on December 1, 2021 and confirmed by the New York State Senate on January 24, 2022 as Commissioner of the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS).     

Dr. Cunningham is a physician, researcher, and public health professional who brings over 20 years of expertise in substance use treatment to OASAS. Prior to joining OASAS, she served as the Executive Deputy Commissioner of Mental Hygiene at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, was a practicing physician at Montefiore Health System, and a Professor of Medicine, Family and Social Medicine, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Cunningham has more than 20 years’ experience in research, care, and program development that focuses on people who use drugs. She has also partnered with community-based organizations to develop pioneering programs to promote the health of this population.     

Dr. Cunningham led one of the first clinics in New York City to integrate buprenorphine into primary care. She has trained hundreds of doctors to treat substance use disorders in primary care. She has also led several research studies and published numerous research articles that focus on treating substance use disorders.