10,000 Federal Health Dept. Workers to Be Laid Off
The layoffs are part of a major restructuring at the health department, which now employs about 82,000 people.
The New York Times
Sheryl Gay Stolberg
March 27, 2025
Summary for Educators: Major Restructuring at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
On March 27, 2025, the Trump administration announced a significant reorganization of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), resulting in the layoff of 10,000 employees. This move is part of a larger initiative led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who aims to streamline the agency by consolidating its functions and centralizing operations under his direct leadership. The layoffs will reduce the department’s total workforce from approximately 82,000 to 62,000 employees (Stolberg, 2025).
The centerpiece of this restructuring is the creation of a new division called the Administration for a Healthy America (A.H.A.), which Kennedy emphasized will symbolize a new era of efficiency and oversight within HHS. As part of the overhaul, the department’s existing 28 divisions will be merged into 15 new divisions, a move Kennedy characterized as an effort to “do more with less” while acknowledging the difficulty and disruption the changes will bring (Stolberg, 2025).
Kennedy announced the changes through a YouTube video in which he criticized the current structure of HHS, claiming inefficiency and a lack of accountability. He alleged that over half of HHS employees do not physically report to work and cited what he described as excessive duplication of services: over 100 communications offices, more than 40 information technology departments, numerous procurement offices, and nine human resources departments. He noted that these divisions often operate in silos with minimal communication or coordination (Stolberg, 2025).
For educators, this significant downsizing of the federal health agency carries potential implications for public health, education, and child welfare programs that rely on federal oversight, guidance, and funding. HHS includes several agencies crucial to educational environments, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which provides public health guidance for schools; the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which monitors nutrition and health products used by students; and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which funds biomedical research that can impact school health programs. While these agencies are headquartered outside of Washington, their integration into the newly restructured divisions may affect their autonomy and operational clarity.
Moreover, educators may experience indirect effects through the reduction of support services, public health initiatives, and data-driven programming that many school systems use to address student wellness, nutrition, and emergency preparedness. The loss of 10,000 staff members raises concerns about the federal government’s capacity to support health-related programs that intersect with school-based initiatives, particularly those concerning mental health, disease prevention, and family services.
In summary, the reorganization of HHS under Secretary Kennedy marks a fundamental shift in how federal health functions are managed. Educators and school leaders should monitor this development closely, as it could alter how key health services and regulations are implemented at the local level, ultimately affecting student well-being and access to resources.
Source: Stolberg, S. G. (2025, March 27). 10,000 Federal Health Dept. Workers to Be Laid Off. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/us/politics/health-department-la...
Original Article
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Prepared with the assistance of AI software
OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com
10,000 Federal Health Dept. Workers to Be Laid Off
by Michael Keany
Mar 27
10,000 Federal Health Dept. Workers to Be Laid Off
The layoffs are part of a major restructuring at the health department, which now employs about 82,000 people.
The New York Times
Sheryl Gay Stolberg
March 27, 2025
Summary for Educators: Major Restructuring at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
On March 27, 2025, the Trump administration announced a significant reorganization of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), resulting in the layoff of 10,000 employees. This move is part of a larger initiative led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who aims to streamline the agency by consolidating its functions and centralizing operations under his direct leadership. The layoffs will reduce the department’s total workforce from approximately 82,000 to 62,000 employees (Stolberg, 2025).
The centerpiece of this restructuring is the creation of a new division called the Administration for a Healthy America (A.H.A.), which Kennedy emphasized will symbolize a new era of efficiency and oversight within HHS. As part of the overhaul, the department’s existing 28 divisions will be merged into 15 new divisions, a move Kennedy characterized as an effort to “do more with less” while acknowledging the difficulty and disruption the changes will bring (Stolberg, 2025).
Kennedy announced the changes through a YouTube video in which he criticized the current structure of HHS, claiming inefficiency and a lack of accountability. He alleged that over half of HHS employees do not physically report to work and cited what he described as excessive duplication of services: over 100 communications offices, more than 40 information technology departments, numerous procurement offices, and nine human resources departments. He noted that these divisions often operate in silos with minimal communication or coordination (Stolberg, 2025).
For educators, this significant downsizing of the federal health agency carries potential implications for public health, education, and child welfare programs that rely on federal oversight, guidance, and funding. HHS includes several agencies crucial to educational environments, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which provides public health guidance for schools; the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which monitors nutrition and health products used by students; and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which funds biomedical research that can impact school health programs. While these agencies are headquartered outside of Washington, their integration into the newly restructured divisions may affect their autonomy and operational clarity.
Moreover, educators may experience indirect effects through the reduction of support services, public health initiatives, and data-driven programming that many school systems use to address student wellness, nutrition, and emergency preparedness. The loss of 10,000 staff members raises concerns about the federal government’s capacity to support health-related programs that intersect with school-based initiatives, particularly those concerning mental health, disease prevention, and family services.
In summary, the reorganization of HHS under Secretary Kennedy marks a fundamental shift in how federal health functions are managed. Educators and school leaders should monitor this development closely, as it could alter how key health services and regulations are implemented at the local level, ultimately affecting student well-being and access to resources.
Source: Stolberg, S. G. (2025, March 27). 10,000 Federal Health Dept. Workers to Be Laid Off. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/us/politics/health-department-la...
Original Article
------------------------------
Prepared with the assistance of AI software
OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com