Proposed Federal Cuts Could ‘Drastically’ Reduce Alabama’s Health Budget, Official Warns

Report featuring ADPH head highlights threats to public health funding

A new report from the healthcare nonprofit Trust for America’s Health, or TFAH, raises concerns about how proposed and enacted federal funding cuts will impact public health. The report, entitled “Public Health Infrastructure in Crisis,” included interviews with leading state public health officials, including the head of the Alabama Department of Public Health. TFAH is a nonpartisan nonprofit public health policy research and advocacy organizat…

Proposed federal cuts could ‘drastically’ reduce Alabama’s health budget, official warns

Public health officials nationwide and in Alabama are sounding the alarm about proposed budget cuts by the federal government, saying the move will severely weaken health systems and emergency preparedness. “What public health does is behind the scenes,” said Dr. Scott Harris, the state health officer for Alabama. “We do a lot of work to make sure that your kids can go to school safely, that you can drink water from your tap safely, that you can…

Alabama health officer expresses concern over federal cuts to public health in new report

Dr. Scott Harris, Alabama State Health Officer, speaks at the Alabama Department of Public Health board meeting in the RSA Regions Tower in Montgomery, Alabama, on Aug. 21, 2025. Harris expressed concerns over federal funding cuts to public health in a report released Thursday by Trust for America's Health. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)Alabama’s top health official said in a report released Thursday by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) th…