Mass Firings at HHS: Thousands of Federal Employees Lose Jobs Amid Government Shutdown

Strategic Insights -

As the Trump administration's government shutdown enters its second week, hundreds of federal employees at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have been laid off, including those working on mental health services, disease outbreaks, and disaster preparedness. The mass firings have left health professionals and former employees concerned about the negative health impacts and the department's ability to fulfill its congressional obligations.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 1,100 to 1,200 HHS employees received dismissal notices, affecting nearly 1.4% of the department's workforce of approximately 80,000 employees.
  • The layoffs targeted employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR).
  • Approximately 600 CDC employees remained fired after hundreds more had originally been targeted, with about 700 employees receiving emails revoking their terminations.
  • Mental health services were significantly impacted, with the loss of dozens of employees at SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services and the Office of Communications.
  • Former staffers and health professionals warn that the layoffs could have devastating ripple effects across the behavioral health field and put state safety nets for people with mental illness at risk.

Statistics:

  • 1,100 to 1,200 HHS employees received dismissal notices (estimated 1.4% of the department's workforce).
  • Approximately 600 CDC employees remained fired.
  • 700 CDC employees received emails revoking their terminations.
  • 2,000 HHS employees were laid off or took early retirement or volunteer separation offers in the previous round of cuts.
  • HHS staff was listed at just under 80,000 employees in a contingency plan before the government shutdown began.

Sources:

  • American Federation of Government Employees Local 2883
  • A federal health official who spoke on condition of anonymity
  • Dr. Anne Schuchat, former principal deputy director of the CDC
  • Dakota Jablon, a public health analyst and former employee of SAMHSA
  • Dr. Eric Rafla-Yuan, a psychiatrist and the chair of the Committee to Protect Public Mental Health
  • AP medical writer Mike Stobbe contributed to this report.