Press Release

Additional $34.2 Million for Public Health Improvement Programs through Affordable Care Act

Affordable Care Act gives boost to currently funded state, tribal, local and territorial health departments to improve public health in the United States

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention increased its investment in improving public health services by announcing today more than $34 million in additional Affordable Care Act funding through the National Public Health Improvement Initiative.

In 2010, $42.5 million was released to fund 76 state, tribal, local and territorial health departments or other agents that act on their behalf. The money was provided to implement and evaluate goals set by the organization as well as help them prepare for accreditation and adhere to general public health standards.

"With these additional funds, we will continue to help our nation's public health departments work more effectively and efficiently to detect and respond to outbreaks, disasters, and other public health problems," said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. "This initiative will strengthen the nation's public health system, and our ability to improve the health and well being of all Americans."

Health departments are facing financial challenges that threaten their ability to prevent disease and promote health in their communities. Safe food, safe water, and timely detection and response to emerging health threats depend on a strong public health system. CDC is offering this initiative in a time when a system-wide performance improvement effort is paramount to sustaining and building our public health capacity.

"This new money will strengthen our health departments' performance and lead to better health outcomes," said Judith A. Monroe, M.D., director of CDC's Office for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support. "We want health departments to meet national performance and accreditation standards and work toward policies to improve and protect the public's health."

This initiative supports the Healthy People 2020 focus area of addressing Public Health Infrastructure. Cross-jurisdictional (state, local, tribal, territorial, regional, community, and border) collaborations are encouraged to increase the impact of limited resources, improve efficiency, and to leverage other related health reform efforts/projects.

For more information, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/ostlts/NPHII/nphiifoa.html.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES