Billions Cut From State, Federal Health Programs: What To Know In CT

CONNECTICUT — The Trump Administration announced several cuts to federal and state health programs this week, including $12 billion in funding to help states deal with emerging health crises and the elimination of 10,000 Department of Human Services employees.

The federal grants to Connecticut and other states were used to fund such things as infectious disease tracking, immunization clinics, mental health services, addiction treatment and other emerging health needs.

State health departments began receiving notices Monday that funds allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic would stop immediately, according to the story first reported by NBC News. The action cancels an $11.4 billion grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and around $1 billion from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

“No additional activities can be conducted, and no additional costs may be incurred, as it relates to these funds,” the notices said.

Gov. Ned Lamont announced Thursday that his administration was notified this week by the Trump administration that it is immediately terminating a number of grants estimated to total more than $150 million that had been allocated to Connecticut for a wide range of essential public health, mental health, and addiction services, such as disease outbreak surveillance, newborn screenings, childhood immunizations, and testing for viruses and other pathogens.

The grants were largely committed to the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The agencies are analyzing the impact of these cuts and as more information becomes available will notify providers in Connecticut that were expecting this funding, according to a statement from the Governor's Office.

“These abrupt and unexpected cuts to our health system are going to have a devastating impact on our ability to fight disease, protect the health of newborns, provide mental health and addiction treatment services, and keep people safe,” Lamont said. “I am urging the Trump administration to recognize that these cuts go beyond what is reasonable and reverse this rash and impulsive decision. I will do everything I can to support the health and safety of the residents of Connecticut.”

HHS Cuts 10,000 Workers

The cuts to states were a prelude to sweeping changes to the Department of Human Services. On Thursday, the Trump administration said about 10,000 HHS employees would be laid off under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s planned agency reorganization, a move which the administration said will save taxpayers $1.8 billion per year.

HHS oversees 13 agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug and Administration, and the National Institutes of Health.

Kennedy said the 28 divisions within the 13 agencies overseen by HHS will be consolidated into 15 to eliminate duplications of work.

“We will eliminate an entire alphabet soup of departments, while preserving their core functions by merging them into a new organization called the Administration for Healthy America or AHA,” Kennedy wrote on X.

About 2,400 CDC employees will be cut. Divisions that will be eliminated include those focused on global health, domestic HIV prevention, and prevention from injury, such as gun violence, NBC News reported.

When combined with HHS’ other efforts, the restructuring results in a total downsizing from 82,000 to 62,000 full-time employees, according to a news release announcing the cuts.

“We aren't just reducing bureaucratic sprawl. We are realigning the organization with its core mission and our new priorities in reversing the chronic disease epidemic,” Kennedy said. “This Department will do more – a lot more – at a lower cost to the taxpayer.”

The cuts are in addition to the 10,000 people who took buyout offers and left on their own after President Donald Trump took office. Officials also anticipate another wave of public health staff layoffs across the country as federal grant funding is cut off.

“The reality is that, when we take funding away from public health systems, the systems just do not have the capacity, because they’re chronically underfunded over the decades,” said Dr. Umair Shah, who served as Washington State’s health secretary until January, told The New York Times.