In early April 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) underwent a massive restructuring that resulted in the layoff of approximately 10,000 federal employees.
What happened
The process began in the early hours of April 1, 2025, when many staff discovered they had been terminated only after their security badges no longer worked. The layoffs, part of a broader Reduction in Force (RIF), were carried out with little communication or clarity, leaving employees, managers, and entire divisions in disarray.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. later admitted that about 20% of the terminations were mistakes, and some staff were told to return to work without their jobs officially being restored. Among the affected programs were public health services, including the CDC's lead contamination surveillance, Meals on Wheels, and HIV outreach efforts. For instance, a lead testing initiative in Milwaukee schools was abruptly halted when the relevant CDC team was dismissed.
Staff in the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were left uncertain about their job status, with some receiving conflicting messages about their employment. By April 4, 2025, HHS also announced a 35% cut to all contract spending, further disrupting agency operations.
The backstory
In late March 2025, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a restructuring plan for the department, aligning with President Donald Trump's "Make America Healthy Again" initiative. This plan aimed to reduce the HHS workforce by 20,000 employees, consolidating 28 divisions into 15 to enhance efficiency and focus on combating chronic diseases.
The restructuring included the creation of the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), designed to centralize functions related to primary care, maternal and child health, mental health, and environmental health.
What was said
The HHS fact sheet on Make American Healthy Again stated, “The plan combines personnel cuts, centralization of functions, and consolidation of HHS divisions, including:
- The current 82,000 full-time employees will be reduced to 62,000
- 28 divisions will be consolidated to 15
- 10 regional offices will become 5
- Human Resources, Information Technology, Procurement, External Affairs, and Policy will be centralized.”
Secretary Kennedy told ABC News, “We're streamlining the agencies. We're going to make it work for public health, make it work for the American people. In the course of that, there were a number of instances where studies that should have not have been cut were cut, and we've reinstated them. Personnel that should not have been cut were cut, we're reinstating them, and that was always the plan.
The part of that, DOGE, we talked about this from the beginning, is we're going to do 80% cuts but 20% of those are going to have to be reinstalled because we'll make mistakes. And one of the things that President Trump has said is that if we make mistakes, we're going to admit it and we're going to remedy it, and that's one of the mistakes.”
Why it matters
The NIH's dismissal of leading scientists, such as Dr. Richard Youle, renowned for his Parkinson's disease research, threatens the continuity of critical medical advancements. Moreover, the elimination of teams responsible for analyzing data on drug use and mental health may hinder informed policy-making and resource allocation. These developments suggest that the layoffs could have far-reaching effects on the nation's health outcomes and preparedness.
FAQs
What is the mission of HHS?
The mission of HHS is to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans by providing effective health and human services and by fostering sound, sustained advances in the sciences underlying medicine, public health, and social services.
How is HHS funded?
HHS is funded through the federal budget, with expenditures accounting for approximately 25.4% of federal spending in fiscal year 2024, amounting to $1.7 trillion.
What are the main agencies under HHS?
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Kirsten Peremore
