Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Albany County Health Department seeks to shore up public-health workforce, prepares JUUL settlement spending and lead program transition
Summary
Health officials told legislators they are rebuilding public health infrastructure after COVID-era turnover, pursuing non-governmental grants, implementing a multi-year JUUL settlement allocation, and continuing lead-prevention work while noting heavy reliance on fragile federal and state funding.
Deputy Commissioner Tricia Bellotto presented the Albany County Health Department’s 2026 budget framework, focusing on restoring public-health infrastructure, staffing, and preparation for potential cuts in federal funding.
Bellotto said just over half of the department’s budget and nearly all positions are supported by federal and state funding, a reliance she called “precarious and tentative.” She said the department is prioritizing core public-health activities and conducting grant research to locate nongovernmental funding that aligns with departmental missions.
The…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
