The Trump administration plans to cut some $600 million in public health grants to four states led by Democrats, including Colorado, according to news reports.
The New York Times and Bloomberg report that the Department of Health and Human Services will rescind the money to Colorado, California, Minnesota, and Illinois because it finds the grants "inconsistent with agency priorities."
Among the reported cuts to partner organizations are $371,000 from the Colorado Health Network Inc. that would have focused on engaging Black and Latino gay men.
The funds are administered through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to the Times. They include grants given to states for things including hiring staff, modernizing data systems, and managing disease outbreaks.
The CDC recently revised its website to focus on the agency's new priorities, including moving away from a focus on health treatment that predominantly affects certain populations. That focus “has not translated into measurable improved health for minority populations, and in many cases has undermined core American values,” the agency now says, according to the Times.
Denver7 reached out to Gov. Jared Polis' office for clarification and reaction. In a statement sent to Denver7, the office said:
“At this time, Colorado has not received any official cancellation notices from the federal administration related to these grants. The Governor is committed to continuing to fight for Coloradans and the best interest of the state, that includes working with the federal administration when we can, as we have done with every administration. We will continue to urge the President to do what's best for the American people.”
The New York Times reports that other cuts include:
- $7.2 million from the American Medical Association in Illinois, which supports gender transitions for children.
- $5.2 million from Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for increasing HIV prevention therapy among Black women.
- $876,000 from the Prevention Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco, to address “reducing social isolation among older LGBTQ adults.”
