10-04-2025
Federal health cuts cost Columbus jobs and grants
The impact of recent cuts to the federal Department of Health and Human Services continues to be felt locally.
Catch up quick: A regional office in Chicago has shuttered, leaving the Midwest without a local point of contact for heating assistance, child care programs, Meals on Wheels and more.
Over a dozen recently terminated grants will also affect Central Ohio.
Zoom in: In one example that made headlines late last week, Columbus Public Health laid off 11 employees involved with infectious disease investigations due to a lost CDC grant.
"This reduction in staff is particularly concerning during a national measles outbreak, including cases in Ohio," spokesperson Kelli Newman told Axios in an email.
The Ohio Department of Health has lost over $250 million in grant funding, including that which impacted Columbus Public Health.
Plus: A National Institutes of Health grant awarded to the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital was terminated. It was used to study the impact of puberty blockers on adolescents' health.
At least eight grants totaling $12 million awarded to Ohio State University, most regarding LGBTQ+ health, are also gone.
