Article Summary
A federal judge, Mary McElroy, ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to halt the reduction of billions in federal money for public health departments. The preliminary injunction follows a lawsuit filed by a coalition of 23 Democrat-led states and the District of Columbia seeking to immediately halt the $11 billion cuts. The funds, allocated by Congress during the pandemic, supported COVID-19 initiatives and mental health and substance abuse efforts. The injunction only applies to the states involved in the lawsuit.
What This Means for You
- Public health departments will continue to receive federal funds for COVID-19 initiatives and mental health programs in the states involved in the lawsuit.
- Layoffs at health departments across the country may be temporarily reversed, maintaining services for communities.
- If you reside in a state not involved in the lawsuit, the impact on your local health department may vary and is yet to be determined.
- Future legal actions are likely, and the outcome could affect the distribution of federal funds to public health departments nationwide.
Original Post
President Donald Trump’s administration must put the brakes on slashing billions in federal money for public health departments, a federal judge said Friday.
U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy in Rhode Island granted the preliminary injunction request in the lawsuit brought last by a coalition of Democrat-led states. She had granted a temporary restraining order last month in the case.
The lawsuit filed April 1 by 23 states and the District of Columbia sought to immediately halt $11 billion in cuts, alleging that it would decimate public health infrastructure across the country. The money, allocated by Congress during the pandemic, supported COVID-19 initiatives and mental health and substance abuse efforts.
The injunction only applies to the states involved in the lawsuit. The federal government must file documentation that they’re complying with the order by Tuesday evening.
Health departments across the country have said they’ve laid off employees after the Trump administration began to clawback the money in late March.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Key Terms
- Public Health Departments
- Federal Funds
- Preliminary Injunction
- COVID-19 Initiatives
- Mental Health Programs
- Trump Administration
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