The ability of local health departments to protect and improve the public’s health is in jeopardy, according to a new Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded report by Health Management Associates, an independent research group.
Less than 5 percent of total healthcare spending in the United States is devoted to public health and prevention, and only a sliver of that funds the essential work of the nation’s nearly 2,800 local health departments—the stewards of public health. Yet recently, substantial funding cutbacks from local, state, and federal government sources have shrunk response capacity in already-strapped local health departments. According to the report, these funding cutbacks also translate into fewer community-based interventions to help prevent and control chronic diseases such as diabetes and asthma, higher rates of infectious diseases, a lower level of preparedness for emergencies ranging from hurricanes to bioterrorism, and escalating healthcare costs.
This report adds to the body of evidence showing that without dedicated sources of sustainable funding, state and local health departments are left vulnerable to both the ups and downs of our economy and the unpredictability of federal, state, and local budget processes.
Lend your voice to this important call to action, and send a Letter to the Editor or Opinion Editorial to your local newspaper.
Download the Policy Highlight (2-pager)
Listen to Bobby Pestronk on the impacts of local health department funding cuts
Learn more about the HMA report
