Administration Budget Is Short on Needed Support for Public Health
ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 1 (AScribe Newswire) -- During these difficult economic times the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) recognizes the need to tighten federal spending to maintain the budget. We also know, however, that investing in the public health system is an essential step in lowering the nation's healthcare costs, improving productivity, and maintaining national security.
ASTHO commends President Obama for proposing increases to some of public health's most important programs, including HIV/AIDS, Maternal and Child Health, and Sec. 317 immunization funding, in the proposed FY11 budget. Public health programs save health care dollars. Every dollar invested in immunizations saves $27 in healthcare costs.1 An investment of $10 annually per person, in proven state and local prevention programs, could save the country more than $16 billion annually within five years.2
We are very concerned that the proposed budget freezes federal funding for the state and local public health infrastructure required to administer these and other critical programs. Limiting funding for public health programs at a time when state budgets continue to worsen will hinder our efforts to halt the spread of infectious diseases such as H1N1, protect America's families, and respond to natural and man-made disasters and foodborne illness.
Last year, Congress and President Obama recognized the need to invest in our public health system by crafting health reform legislation calling for a public health investment fund to supplement existing federal spending, touting the benefits of strengthening our public health workforce. Yet, the proposed budget would freeze federal spending on state and local health agency infrastructure.
"Public health departments are as critical a piece of the nation's infrastructure as roads and bridges," said ASTHO Executive Director Paul E. Jarris, MD, MBA. "If the United States is to safeguard the health and vitality of its people, investments in public health, as in all aspects of our infrastructure, are needed."
In addition, a freeze in federal spending will further devastate our state and local health departments, which have already eliminated many programs, reduced services, and lost over 17,000 state and local workers. States are in the midst of multi-year budget cuts and their ability to respond to public health emergencies could be jeopardized.
ASTHO stands ready to work with the Administration and Congress to improve funding for these vital programs," said Jarris.
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1 Zhou, F, Santoli, J, Messonnier, M, et al. Economic Evaluation of the 7-Vaccine Routine Childhood Immunization Schedule in the United States, 2001. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. 159:1136-1144. http://healthyamericans.org/reports/prevention08/Prevention08.pdf
2 Trust for America's Health. "Prevention for a Healthier America: Investments in Disease Prevention Yield Significant Savings, Stronger Communities." http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/resources/pdf/pubs/BTN_Full.pdf
About ASTHO
ASTHO is the national non-profit organization representing the public health agencies of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and the District of Columbia, as well as the 120,000 public health professionals these agencies employ. ASTHO members, the chief health officials of these jurisdictions, are dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy and to assuring excellence in state-based public health practice. ASTHO's vision is healthy people thriving in a nation free of preventable illness and injury.
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CONTACT: Paula Steib 202-371-9090, psteib@astho.org