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California public health chief urges sustained investment as pandemic funding winds down
Summary
California's newly appointed state public health officer outlined public health gains since COVID-19 and warned that one-time federal pandemic funds will lapse in 2026, highlighting rising challenges including silicosis, overdose deaths and mental-health trends.
Dr. Bridal Pon, California's State Public Health Officer, told the Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on March 10 that public health investments made during the COVID-19 pandemic improved capacity statewide but that many gains rely on one-time federal funding that expires in 2026.
"It will take continued commitment to address ongoing and future threats and improve population health for our future generations," Dr. Bridal Pon said, summarizing the department's priorities for prevention, workforce and data modernization.
The director gave a high-level review of trends and risks. She said life expectancy in California fell from about 81 years in 2019 to 78.4 years in 2021 during the pandemic but has since rebounded. She credited tobacco control, stigma reduction and improved access to…
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