Austin Public Health warns federal grant cuts already costing staff and services

Austin Public Health Director Adrian Sturrup told the Austin City Council Public Health Committee on April 2, 2025, that the department has already experienced roughly $15,000,000 in immediate federal funding losses that have affected staff and services and that additional grant funding remains at risk.

The presentation, given in City Council Chambers at 10:01 a.m., laid out the department’s fiscal picture for fiscal year 2025: a total budget of about $131,000,000, with roughly $92,000,000 in general fund support (about 70 percent of the department’s budget) and nearly $39,000,000 in grant funding. Sturrup said grant-funded positions make up a disproportionate share of the department’s full-time equivalents (FTEs): grant dollars represent about 30 percent of the dollar budget but support roughly 51 percent of APH FTEs.

Why it matters: Sturrup and Deputy Director Cassandra De Leon said federal and state notices have left local public health agencies uncertain about reimbursements. The department reported having absorbed some earlier reductions but said new cancellations have forced program closures and staff impacts. Sturrup described the situation as ‘‘death by a thousand cuts’’…