The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
According to a senior official at the CDC, the agency is set to fully fund the Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program ahead of an important budget deadline. Another CDC staff member also indicated that developments have been made, suggesting that full funding is likely, although no specific timeline was provided.
Both officials, speaking anonymously due to concerns about potential repercussions, expressed cautious optimism. However, some staff at the CDC shared with NPR that the funding situation remains somewhat unclear.
Last month, NPR reported that the previous administration had withheld $140 million from the OD2A program, which is essential for state and local health departments working to reduce overdose fatalities linked to opioids and other substances across the country.
Additionally, the CDC official mentioned that previously frozen funds for various programs, including those aimed at preventing sexual violence and domestic abuse, are now being released.
Funding, 30 days at a time
These funding delays are part of a more extensive funding challenge that the CDC has faced. As NPR previously reported, for several months, the CDC awaited $9 billion intended for its operations in fiscal year 2025. In the interim, it received small amounts of funding every 30 days to cover basic expenses.
The senior leader characterized the previous funding process as akin to receiving money “with an eyedropper,” underscoring the difficulties in distributing necessary financial resources to the various centers and divisions within the agency.
Most state health departments rely heavily on federal funds—some, like Alabama, depend on these grants for more than two-thirds of their budget. Dr. Scott Harris, who leads Alabama’s health department, conveyed to NPR that the funding issues have broader implications for public health initiatives.
Deadlines missed
Many health departments expressed alarm as funding deadlines neared for critical areas like HIV prevention and cancer registries. Fortunately, it seems initiatives like OD2A can proceed, with grantees soon learning they will receive the total funding despite previous expectations of receiving only a portion.
This news comes after advocacy groups had repeatedly highlighted the potential negative impacts of delayed funding. Sharon Gilmartin, director of the Safe States Alliance, remarked that while the arrival of full funding is welcome, the delays have already imposed a toll on operations, citing a local health department in North Carolina that had to lay off staff due to funding uncertainty.
“It’s hard to feel confident until funds are actually received,” Gilmartin acknowledged. “And I do worry—if this is what happened this year, what will it look like next year?”
No explanation has been provided by the previous administration or the Office of Management and Budget regarding the delays in funding. Efforts to obtain comments from the OMB and the Department of Health and Human Services have gone unanswered.
The CDC leader expressed relief about the funding release, stating, “It’s great we have our apportionment.” However, a new issue has arisen: several specific programs at the CDC now face budget line freezes as directed by the OMB, a development first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Programs impacted by these freezes primarily fall within the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, addressing concerns like tobacco use, nutrition, and obesity, among others.
“What does it all mean?”
The OMB has also frozen funds for five programs at the CDC’s Injury Center related to violence prevention and injury research. Gilmartin stressed that this decision raises questions, implying a lack of clear rationale for cutting funding that supports essential early childhood development programs.
The senior CDC leader pondered, “How do we interpret all of this? What does it all mean?” They highlighted that several departments that faced layoffs earlier are now returning to a state of funding with full budgets, adding to the confusion.
Furthermore, there exists a disconnect, as certain programs remain fully staffed yet see their funding frozen. Observers have noted this inconsistency raises concerns about the broader strategic planning surrounding the budget.
