Public Statement 3/28/25

Federal Funding Cuts Threaten Public Health Workforce and State Budgets

COLUMBUS, Ohio – On Friday, Equitas Health condemned the White House’s decision to cancel federal grants that fund life-saving services related to infectious disease, mental health, and addiction treatment services. The Columbus-based community health center also expressed concern over a nearly 25% workforce reduction at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“In just over two months, the White House has cut 20,000 jobs from the public health workforce,” said David Ernesto Munar (he/him), president and chief executive officer at Equitas Health. “These cuts are a devastating attack on trusted and effective public health programs.”

The funding reductions, to the tune of $12 billion nationwide, coupled with federal workforce reductions at HHS, affect the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and more — all of which are responsible for ensuring the health and welfare of the American people.

“The nation is grappling with a historic measles outbreak and increases in cases of bird flu, tuberculosis, and syphilis,” said Munar. “Public health teams are already fighting the spread of COVID-19, the flu, and HIV. Weakening the federal government’s commitment to public health will cause rates of preventable and chronic conditions to soar. Costs will rise for patients and taxpayers. And people will die.”

These cuts will have the greatest impact on local and state health departments that depend on funding and technical support from the CDC. Historically, the CDC has been the world’s leading authority on infectious disease detection, tracking, treatment, prevention, innovation, and coordination across jurisdictions.

Reflecting on the impact that this will have on state budgets, Rhea Debussy, Ph.D. (she/her), director of external affairs at Equitas Health, added, “Cutting billions of dollars in federal funding from life-saving services requires already-strained state and local governments to pick up the tab for the public health workforce.”

Last week, Equitas Health joined thirteen of the nation’s leading LGBTQ+, HIV, and health organizations to speak out against efforts to defund critical HIV prevention efforts at the CDC. The coalition warned that funding changes will reduce nationwide access to HIV prevention tools, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and surveillance initiatives that track outbreaks and infection rates.

“The government should be in the business of removing barriers to the success of public health programs, not creating instability and fear with broad, abrupt funding cuts,” Munar said.