Message from Janel Heinrich, Director of Public Health

This is a dark time for public health. First, $11 billion in public health funding was terminated, including $225 million coming to Wisconsin to prevent and control emerging infectious diseases, strengthen emergency medical services, improve and modernize data systems, prevent and treat substance use disorder, promote vaccination, build community health worker infrastructure, and more. Less than a week later, 25% of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services workforce was cut. 

Wisconsin has joined a lawsuit to address these cuts.

In response to the cuts in funding, Wisconsin joined a lawsuit with several other states to stop the federal administration from eliminating over $225 million in federal public health funding that the state receives annually. You can read the Governor’s press release, the filed complaint, and a declaration submitted by the Department of Health Services for more details and information about the impact of these cuts.

The court hearing resulted in a 14-day temporary restraining order (TRO) that will result in additional court hearings in mid-April.

The fallout of these federal decisions had an immediate impact on our work locally.

On March 26, we learned a $1.8 million grant for immunizations-related work was terminated, effective March 24. This funding was slated to end June 30. Despite the good news of the TRO resulting from the court hearing, we’ve not changed any decisions that were made related to these cuts. We had to terminate three staff about 60 days sooner than intended. Contracts and other costs associated with this grant had to end immediately. Without this funding, our efforts to improve the health of our community will be impacted, but our work will continue.