WASHINGTON — In a sweeping overhaul, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will lay off 10,000 workers and shut down several agencies, including those overseeing billions in funds for addiction services and community health centers nationwide. The restructuring, announced Thursday by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., targets inefficiencies in what he described as a “sprawling bureaucracy” responsible for a decline in Americans’ health.
“I want to promise you now that we’re going to do more with less,” Kennedy said in a video posted on social media.
The restructuring caps weeks of turmoil at HHS, following rumors of mass firings, the revocation of $11 billion in public health funding for cities and counties, a tepid response to a measles outbreak, and controversial remarks about vaccines from Kennedy. The department’s workforce will shrink from 82,000 to 62,000 positions, eliminating 10,000 jobs through layoffs and another 10,000 through early retirement and voluntary separation offers encouraged by the Trump administration.
Kennedy acknowledged a “painful period” ahead for HHS, which is tasked with monitoring infectious diseases, inspecting food and hospitals, and overseeing health insurance programs for nearly half the country. The restructuring will centralize procurement, IT, and communications under HHS, reducing autonomy for the NIH, FDA, and CDC.
Federal health workers at NIH and FDA, both in Maryland, expressed shock, fear, and uncertainty, describing anxiety over potential job losses. HHS provided details on 7,400 cuts: 3,500 jobs at the FDA, 2,400 at the CDC, 1,200 at the NIH, and 300 at CMS.
Kennedy said the plan would save $1.8 billion annually but did not provide a breakdown.
The restructuring also includes plans to shutter some agencies created by Congress. The Health Resources and Services Administration and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will be merged into a new Administration for a Healthy America. Critics argue closing SAMHSA could undermine addiction and mental health efforts.
The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response will be eliminated and folded into the CDC, a move critics say risks national health security.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) criticized the cuts, warning of reduced health services and longer waits for treatments. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) urged patience, saying lawmakers would “fix what’s broken.”
