By HFT Staff

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded $3.2 billion to help state, local and territorial jurisdictions strengthen their public health workforce and infrastructure. This funding provides awards directly to state, local and territorial health departments to provide the people, services and systems needed to promote and protect U.S. health. 

The $3.2 billion includes $3 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act for jurisdictions to recruit, retain and train their workforce, including critical frontline public health workers. The funding also includes $140 million from a new appropriation for jurisdictions to strengthen and revitalize their public health infrastructure. Lastly, national partners will be awarded $65 million to provide training, evaluation and other technical assistance to jurisdictions as they work to strengthen the services they provide and rebuild their workforce. 

The CDC’s core focus was on ensuring the funding was tailored to meet actual needs, which are as diverse as the jurisdictions themselves. This grant helps to address urgent and ongoing public health needs in communities that are economically or socially marginalized, rural communities, and communities with people from racial and ethnic minority groups. 

Stronger infrastructure allows public health to ensure food and water is safe, detect and track diseases, stop outbreaks, provide child and maternal healthcare and monitor data. Continued investments will strengthen the national public health workforce and infrastructure, supporting a public health system that is prepared to respond to future health threats.