Overview

• The restructuring reduces HHS staffing by nearly 25%, with 10,000 layoffs and another 10,000 positions eliminated through early retirements and voluntary separations.
• Major agencies like the CDC, FDA, and NIH are experiencing significant job cuts, with 3,500 positions being cut at the FDA and 2,400 at the CDC.
• The new Administration for a Healthy America will consolidate several agencies, including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, as part of a shift toward chronic disease prevention.
• State and local health departments are also impacted, with over $11 billion in COVID-19-related funding rescinded, leading to additional job losses and reduced public health capacity.
• Critics warn the cuts will hinder responses to infectious diseases, drug overdose prevention, and emergency preparedness, while HHS leadership defends the changes as necessary for efficiency.