Trump administration cuts $100 million in Illinois public health program funding

(WAND) — The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that the Trump administration has cut $100 million in funding that will impact several programs.

According to IDPH, funding for the programs was allocated by Congress and is also being taken away from three other Democrat-led states.

"Rather than making life easier and more affordable for our families, Donald Trump is stripping critical public health funding with the singular goal of harming states he does not like," said Governor JB Pritzker. "It's a slap in the face to the people of Illinois and the public health leaders who have stepped up as his HHS takes a sledgehammer to public health infrastructure."

IDPH said the programs that will be impacted by the cuts include:

Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG): provides funding for workforce development, data modernization, support for local health departments, and other essential public health initiatives
Illinois Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS): collects information on the behaviors and conditions related to the leading causes of death for Illinoisans, allowing for more targeted intervention
State Injury Prevention Program (SIPP): works to identify and, where possible, prevent conditions that lead to violence, injury and death
HIV Medical Monitoring Project (MMP): tracks essential information about people living with HIV in Illinois in areas such as housing, insurance, medication, and access to care, information which allows for better planning of HIV services and targeting of resources where they are most needed
HIV Prevention and Surveillance: includes programs to expand HIV testing to cover more people who may not be aware they have HIV; linking newly-diagnosed patients to appropriate care; expanding access to PrEP, medication which can reduce the spread of HIV; and conducting partner notification

"These cuts target programs that benefit the health of all Illinois residents," said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. "These actions will severely harm IDPH programs that provide critical support to local health departments, decrease HIV rates, and promote injury and violence prevention, among other efforts."

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