ASPPH Statement on the Department of Health and Human Services Restructuring Plan

March 28, 2025

The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) is deeply concerned by the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) recently announced restructuring plan, which includes reducing the workforce by 25% and consolidating key agencies.  

A Reduction in Force (RIF) of 20,000 public health professionals will harm public health and the ability to prevent diseases, ultimately costing the country more money and affecting—and costing—lives. It will also impact ASPPH members who receive funding from these agencies and partner with them to research and address public health issues such as opioid addiction, heart disease, diabetes, infectious diseases, and more.  

While we support efforts to improve efficiency, these sweeping cuts—impacting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and others—pose serious risks to the strength and stability of our public health infrastructure. The consolidation of agencies such as the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) into the new Administration for a Healthy America (AHA) will also be disruptive to essential programs related to public health and disease prevention.

Given the myriad challenges we face in the United States, now is not the time to divest from public health. Public health challenges demand robust, coordinated, and well-resourced systems. We urge HHS to engage public health experts and stakeholders to ensure these reforms do not compromise our nation’s ability to protect and improve community health.

As we have been since our founding in 1945, ASPPH stands ready with our members to support evidence-based, strategic changes that strengthen public health. 

OTHER STATEMENTS:

ASPPH Joins Lawsuit to Block NIH Facilities and Administrative Cost Cap

February 12, 2025

On Monday night, the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH), alongside the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), joined a lawsuit to block the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s new policy to cap Facilities and Administrative (F&A) cost reimbursements at 15% for federally funded research grants.

ASPPH Statement on Cuts to Federal Research Grants Facilities and Administrative Costs

February 9, 2025 

The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) expresses grave concern over the recent reduction in federal research grants’ Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs, as announced in a National Institutes of Health (NIH) memo last week. Effective immediately, all grants will cap F&A costs at 15%.