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Health
Erica Zurek

Minnesota Department of Health announces layoffs amid federal funding cuts

People gather in the lobby of an elementary school.
Parents and families gather in the lobby of Cityview Community School for a vaccine clinic for kids aged 5-12 in Minneapolis. Efforts such as vaccination initiatives could be affected by the layoffs.
Evan Frost | MPR News 2021

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The Minnesota Department of Health announced layoffs and reductions in public health services on Tuesday due to cuts in federal funding.

The agency issued layoffs and separation notices to 170 employees whose positions were supported by federal grants that have now been terminated. Additionally, offers have been rescinded for 20 new hires.

Notices will also be given to other staff members who are at risk of layoffs, affecting approximately 300 employees in total within the health department.

The layoffs and separations result from an unexpected decision by the federal government last week to cut more than $220 million in previously approved funding for the health department.

“We are working now to figure out how much of this critical public health work we can save and continue,” Dr. Brooke Cunningham, the Minnesota commissioner of health, said in a statement.

The Minnesota Department of Health said that several services and programs across the agency will be affected by the layoffs, including the state’s efforts in response to measles and bird flu, wastewater surveillance, community clinics and vaccination initiatives. The cuts will also limit support for nursing homes and reduce funding for tribal public health services.