The recent layoffs at the CDC have particularly affected areas such as global and environmental health along with HIV prevention initiatives, as stated in an overview document acquired by .
The document presented during an agency gathering on Tuesday depicts a scenario where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will concentrate primarily on combating infectious diseases, adopting a considerably narrower approach compared to before regarding overall public health issues. This shift includes reducing approximately one-fourth of the workforce from the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention, as well as cutting down roughly a third of employees working within the CDC’s Injury Center.
"When the Office of Smoking and Health was eliminated, despite smoking being the top avoidable reason for chronic diseases, one has to wonder, 'What were they considering?' " remarked Dr. Richard Besser, CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a previous interim head of the organization.
As part of an extensive overhaul at the Department of Health and Human Services, significant cutbacks are being implemented with the aim of reducing the workforce by 10,000 positions, including 2,400 roles within the CDC. When contacted regarding potential modifications to these staffing reduction plans announced earlier this week, a representative from HHS declined to comment. According to reports by ABC News, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has not provided additional details on adjustments to these proposed layoffs. plans to reinstate a few employees who were wrongfully let go.
Here are the cuts:
The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion saw a reduction of approximately one-third, resulting in the elimination of the Office on Smoking and Health, Oral Health, Population Health, as well as parts of the Reproductive Health division.
— The Office of Health Equity has been abolished. The responsibilities mandated by law within this office will be transferred to the Office of Minority Health and the Office of Women's Health.
— Discretionary initiatives within the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health have been reduced, retaining solely the essential World Trade Center health initiative along with the Radiation Dose Reconstruction Program. Under the Trump administration’s proposals, NIOSH would be integrated into a newly established HHS entity known as the Administration for a Healthy America.
— The budget reductions eliminate the Birth Defects Center, but preserve certain aspects of its operations, such as the Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network. Certain monitoring activities related to both birth defects and autism will still be carried out.
— The National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention experienced a reduction of approximately one-quarter of its workforce. The largest reductions were observed within the Division of HIV Prevention. Additionally, the Global Health Center’s Division of Global HIV & TB saw a similar decrease, with staffing levels dropping by around twenty-five percent.
— The CDC's Injury Center saw about one-third of its workforce reduced. However, it will keep both the Overdose Prevention Division and the suicide prevention unit intact. Certain ongoing programs such as the National Violent Death Reporting System and "adverse childhood experiences" tracking will persist.
— The National Center for Environmental Health has disbanded its Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry will now become part of the Administration for a Healthy America.
— The National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases discontinued its partnership and health equity division.
The media support, broadcasting services, visual design, and content and engagement divisions were eliminated from the Office of Communications.
The Office of Acquisition Services within the Office of Financial Resources and the Office of Human Resources experienced significant reductions, whereas the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity was completely abolished.
— The CDC’s division responsible for handling Freedom of Information Act requests has been eliminated. The administration intends to establish a single FOIA office for the entire Department of Health and Human Services.
According to an anonymous HHS official, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response has experienced a loss of 81 personnel. Approximately a dozen of these individuals came from the Strategic National Stockpile team, which supported state, local, tribal, and territorial initiatives. Others were involved in managing grants. Additionally, around 30 layoff notices were issued within the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, as mentioned by the same source.
The Trump administration did not make a comprehensive plan public regarding the reductions at HHS, where the CDC falls under, causing uncertainty surrounding the restructuring.
"The crucial following action for HHS is to address queries from Congress, publish a chart detailing these reductions, disseminate information to collaborators, and ensure that state and local health agencies responsible for implementing this work nationwide understand whom they should contact," stated Chrissie Juliano, executive director of the Big Cities Health Coalition—a platform bringing together leaders from America’s major metropolitan public health departments.