New York City Health Department Files Declaration Challenging Federal Government Termination of More Than $100 Million in Grants for Infectious Disease Prevention Programs

New York City Health Department Provides Details of the Impact Recent Federal Cuts Will Have on the Health of New Yorkers

Health Department Submits Declaration in Support of New York State Attorney General’s Lawsuit

April 2, 2025 — On Tuesday, the New York City Health Department submitted a declaration from Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse in support of the Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of 22 other states and the District of Columbia challenging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ illegal termination of more than $100 million in grants to the NYC Health Department. The grants were set to expire in 2026 and 2027.

“When federal policies directly impact our city, we have been, and will continue to be, the first and loudest to advocate for New Yorkers,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “These funds are crucial in protecting public health, and the reversal will have serious consequences for communities across the five boroughs.”

“Stripping New York City of more than $100 million in infectious disease prevention funds will have far-reaching and devastating consequences for the city both immediately and long term,” said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse. “It is penny wise and pound foolish to defund public health efforts. We are currently seeing greater infectious threats from measles, tuberculosis, and avian flu. This funding supported the long-overdue modernization of the city’s infectious disease work to prevent and quickly respond to future public health emergencies. Without this funding, New York City’s ability to identify and respond to infectious disease outbreaks will be greatly diminished.”

Congress appropriated this funding for COVID-19 prevention and recovery and to strengthen core public health capacity to respond to current and future threats. Taking into account all the lessons learned from the COVID-19 response, these grants support initiatives to enhance, modernize, and strengthen core public health infrastructure to prepare and protect New Yorkers in the face of increasingly frequent and complex public health threats.

These funds are used to advance the NYC Health Department’s capacity to detect, investigate, and respond to cases and outbreaks of infectious diseases, and to prevent infections through vaccination and other public health interventions. Losing these funds will reduce New York City’s capacity to conduct infectious disease surveillance and effectively respond to public health threats.

The Health Department is working with City Hall and the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget to assess the impact of these cuts and mitigate them.

Some examples of what the cuts will mean for New York City:

• Reduce capacity to rapidly identify, investigate, and respond to outbreaks including vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, varicella, and Hepatitis A; respiratory viruses like influenza, COVID-19, and RSV; and foodborne illnesses, as well as emerging disease threats. Even delays of hours or days can be disastrous for responding to a public health emergency, such as a bioterrorism attack.
• Undermine ability to maintain specialized laboratory equipment required to respond to emergency public health threats such as avian flu.
• Cut dedicated support for nursing homes and other congregate settings (including supportive housing and homeless shelters) for respiratory virus outbreaks in the highest risk settings, increasing risk of death among vulnerable populations.
• Reduce ability to conduct vaccination clinics in Taskforce for Racial Inclusion and Equity (TRIE) neighborhoods to offer COVID and flu vaccines to under- and uninsured adults.
• Limit capacity for community engagement in response to public health emergencies, including work with community-based organizations.
• Limit the city’s vaccination outreach, education, and public communications.

###

MEDIA CONTACT: Pressoffice@health.nyc.gov