Andrew Best Jr.

Dr. Andrew Best, Jr. (he/him) serves as the Director of Health and Wellness for the City of Philadelphia Police Department, where he oversees the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Peer Support Program, Crisis Intervention Training, and the Early Intervention System. Prior to this role, he served as Director of the Division of Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction (SUPHR) within the City of Philadelphia Department of Public Health. Dr. Best has dedicated more than a decade of service to the City of Philadelphia, beginning in 2014.

Dr. Best brings extensive expertise in behavioral health, substance use prevention, case management, grant administration, program evaluation, and systems-level leadership. Before joining SUPHR, he held several positions within the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS). Most recently, he served as Health Program Manager for the Single County Authority (SCA) Operations Unit, where he led initiatives related to grant implementation, program evaluation, contract oversight, and fiscal management. Throughout his tenure with DBHIDS, he managed programs focused on substance use prevention, early intervention, recovery support, and treatment services. His professional experience also includes providing individual, group, and crisis intervention services to diverse populations.

Dr. Best earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a Pre-Law concentration and a minor in African American Studies from Howard University. He later earned a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Public Management from West Chester University. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Pennsylvania, he also earned a Master of Social Service with a concentration in Clinical Social Work from Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. Dr. Best completed a Doctor of Public Administration and a certificate in Public Administration at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. His dissertation, titled Nonmedical Prescription Opioid Use in Adolescents, examined adolescent prescription opioid use rates in relation to the implementation of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs). He also earned a Master of Business Administration from Pennsylvania Western University. In addition, he holds the Certified Advanced Drug and Alcohol Counselor credential and a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion certificate from Cornell University.

Originally from North Carolina, Dr. Best has called Philadelphia home for the past 27 years. He remains deeply committed to social justice and advancing equitable access to healthcare, harm reduction, and behavioral health services for marginalized and underserved communities throughout Philadelphia.

Education

PhD, West Chester University of Pennsylvania

MBA, Pennsylvania Western University

BA, Howard University