CDC Awards Over $176 Million to Strengthen U.S. Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced more than $176 million in funding to support 48 public health partners to strengthen the public health system in the United States. This funding enables these partners to support state, local, and territorial health departments, tribal organizations, academic, and private sector partners to improve their ability to serve the public and positively impact health outcomes. Recipients span various sectors, public health specialties, and population groups, bringing diverse expertise needed across public health.

"CDC's public health partners are critical to building trust with communities and providing the essential services and capacity needed to face health threats," said CDC Director Mandy Cohen, M.D., M.P.H. "Today's announcement demonstrates the agency's commitment to building the strong, resilient public health system the nation needs to protect health and save lives."

As part of the National Partners Cooperative Agreement, the recipient organizations will receive the $176 million in funding for the first year of a 5-year-cycle. This funding will help partners increase the knowledge, skill, and ability of the public health workforce to deliver essential services, improve organizational and systems capacity and capability building to address health priorities, and advance the nation's public health infrastructure and performance.

"By working together with our valued partners, we can build a resilient public health system capable of addressing evolving challenges," said Leslie Ann Dauphin, PhD, Director of CDC's Public Health Infrastructure Center. "These awards will help build a strong public health infrastructure with enhanced ability to detect and control diseases, promote healthy lifestyles, and provide essential healthcare services to all communities."

CDC's goal with the National Partners Cooperative Agreement is to fund organizations that have the capability, expertise, resources, and national reach to support public health infrastructure and workforce needs. The funding mechanism began in 2008 and since that time, CDC has awarded more than $2.5 billion in funding to more than 70 public health partners. CDC continues to collaborate with a wide variety of important partners, both funded and unfunded.

Previous recipients used National Partners Cooperative Agreement funds to support various public health initiatives, such as:

• Developing a rural public health curriculum for public health professionals and students interested in improving their skills in rural public health competencies (e.g., social determinants of health in rural communities and finding solutions to rural health disparities).
• Strengthening the infrastructure and capacity of state, territorial, and local health departments to investigate, analyze, and share data on drug overdoses to enhance surveillance efforts.
• Creating a tool and best practices to help community-serving organizations work with schools and parents to improve comprehensive support for adolescent mental health.

The United States' public health system is most effective when the federal government teams up with partner organizations to address emerging outbreaks and other natural or man-made disasters. About 80% of CDC's annual domestic budget goes to external partners. Public health partners have the reach, influence, access, and capabilities to coordinate an effective public health response and strengthen public health systems and services. A key role for public health partners is to provide capacity-building assistance to ensure a capable and efficient public health system and workforce. For a full list of funded recipients and more information, visit CDC's website.