Pa., N.J., Del. join lawsuit to stop federal funding cuts to health departments

In Pennsylvania, the cuts amount to more than $495 million to the following state departments: Health, Human Services and Drug and Alcohol Programs, according to the lawsuit. The money supports about 150 commonwealth staff and contractors.

“Losing these grant funds will mean an inability to provide allocations to local treatment authorities for substance use disorder intervention, treatment, and recovery services,” the lawsuit states.

Funding losses would also impact awards to “private entities that deliver recovery support services, employment services, pregnancy support services, and drop-in centers directly to persons who have or are in recovery from [substance use disorder],” Pennsylvania officials said.

HHS includes federal agencies and departments like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The changes to HHS grant funding also affect the CDC’s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases Cooperative Agreement, which supports state and local health departments to prevent and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.

In New Jersey, the state Department of Health has used ELC grant money to support 94 local health departments “to cover staff; data infrastructure; community outreach and education; infectious disease preparedness; coordination and crisis response; renovations and facility improvements; and professional development and training,” according to court documents.

The Garden State would also see cuts to its SAMHSA grants, which fund mental health programs.

“The abrupt termination leaves the New Jersey Department of Human Services with no ability to ensure that these individuals will be appropriately transitioned to other services,” plaintiffs stated in their lawsuit. “This disruption of care could be life-threatening.”