Kennedy’s Sweeping HHS Cuts Continue to Assault Public Health & Research Infrastructure
A leaked Office of Management and Budget document reveals drastic plans by Kennedy to slash $40 billion from the department’s budget, a reduction of nearly one-third. The cuts, outlined in a 64-page internal document, fundamentally restructure HHS and dismantle major agencies and programs vital to public health and scientific research. Leaked HHS budget projects $40B in cuts, ACA subsidies expire Key casualties include the HRSA, SAMHSA, AHRQ, NIH, CMS, CDC
Rabies on the Rise in Southern AZ – Just In Time for Spring Camping Season
Arizona is in the middle of a rabies surge among wildlife, particularly in the southern regions of the state. There has been a significant uptick in rabies cases among wildlife, mostly among skunks, foxes, and bats (the usual cast of characters). Pima County has reported 36 confirmed rabies wildlife cases so far this year, accounting for nearly half of Arizona’s total cases. The majority of these cases involve bats, but
Title X Under Siege?
Guest Piece from AZPHA member and Affirm CEO Bre Thomas: In light of the recently leaked Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 2026 Discretionary Budget Passback, which includes the proposed elimination of the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) and zeroing out the Title X Family Planning Program, I am writing to provide you with an update from Affirm. We understand the document is pre-decisional and does not represent a finalized proposal. However, we want
Arizona’s Missing Link in Mental Health Care
Arizona is facing, and has faced for a long time, a major gap in our mental health care system: the lack of Secure Behavioral Health Residential Facilities (SBHRFs) for individuals with serious mental illness resistant to treatment. These are often folks with conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who, due to the nature of their illness, are unwilling to engage in voluntary treatment. Their families are left watching loved one’s
The Real H5N1 Threat: Kennedy’s Assault on Our Public Health System
Last week’s 60 Minutes segment on H5N1 focused on some shortcomings in the US agricultural sector as they grapple with H5N1 influenza infections among poultry, cattle, and some dairy workers. The segment focused on legit gaps like poor USDA oversight, limited worker protection, and the spread of the virus through dairy herds. The veterinary experts featured in the piece rightly presented arguments about the need for better biosecurity and surveillance in the
Public Health Journalism this Week
Sen. Ruben Gallego says proposed Medicaid cuts will leave families uninsured KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: The Public’s Views on Measles Outbreaks and Misinformation | KFF Poll: Belief in false measles claims correlated with lower vaccination rates | Arizona Mirror ‘Major gap in our system’: Arizona lacks secure facilities for people with serious mental illness What to know about 3 big AHCCCS fraud cases in Arizona New