Economy Could Imperil State Readiness
Budget cuts could undermine the progress states have made to respond to public health emergencies and natural disasters, such as the recent wildfires in California and outbreaks of Salmonella on tainted vegetables that sickened more than 1, 440 people in 43 states, says a new report released on December 9.
The report, “Ready or Not? Protecting the Public's Health from Diseases Disasters and Bioterrorism,” faulted the federal government for reducing disaster preparedness funds for states and localities by one-fourth from levels of 2005.
“The 25 percent cut in federal support to protect Americans from diseases, disasters and bioterrorism is already hurting state response capabilities,” said Jeff Levi, executive director of Trust for America's Health, which along with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released the report.
States, for example, are no longer receiving any supplemental funding for pandemic flu preparedness, despite increased responsibilities, the report said.
Read the full report Economy Could Imperil State Readiness on Stateline.org.
