HHS plans to shutter or downsize several health agencies, including at CDC

The Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday it plans to cut 10,000 full-time jobs across several agencies, as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to restructure many parts of the federal government.

The cuts, part of the White House’s “reduction in force” plan, were expected to effectively shutter or downsize multiple departments at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health agencies, potentially jeopardizing public health efforts. 

HHS oversees 13 agencies, including the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health.

HHS said Thursday that 28 divisions in the health department contain “redundant units,” and that the restructuring plan will consolidate them into 15 divisions.

Among the divisions being eliminated or reduced at the CDC, HHS said, are those focused on global health, domestic HIV prevention and prevention from injury, such as gun violence. 

The administration also made cuts to divisions at other agencies tasked with responding to approving new drugs, providing health insurance and responding to infectious disease outbreaks.

The cuts were separate from earlier attempts by government officials to fire thousands of probationary employees at the CDC and other federal agencies. Two federal judges have since ordered the temporary reinstatement of many of those affected workers.

Federal health officials had previously said they planned to shift responsibilities from some eliminated departments to other parts of HHS.

For example, the Trump administration was considering a plan to move the responsibilities of CDC’s Division on HIV Prevention over to the Health Resources and Services Administration, which does its own HIV work under The Ryan White HIV/AIDS program.

However, HRSA is primarily focused on the treatment of HIV rather than preventing it, leaving some HIV advocates concerned it could drive back progress on prevention. 

It was unclear Thursday whether that was still the administration’s plan. A spokesperson for HHS did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment.

Much of the responsibility for the newly downsized agencies at the CDC will likely be left to Susan Monarez, Trump’s pick to lead the agency and its current acting director.

Earlier this month, The Associated Press reported that five CDC division leaders resigned as the agency prepared for cuts.