Overview

Over the past decade alone, local and state health departments lost 20% of their workforce, and local health department budgets shrank by as much as 24%. Consider one example: Over the past 15 years, 11 local public health labs closed in California, which hampered our ability to test for COVID-19, a key criterion for safely re-opening businesses, schools, and other gatherings. Almost all funding sources for local health departments have been declining at the same time that public health threats are growing – such as natural disasters, Zika, Ebola and now COVID-19.
Investing in our community infrastructure goes hand in hand with our public health infrastructure. Our local health departments are at the center of addressing many issues from responding to climate emergencies to partnering with workforce development programs.

Our Approach

The Alliance advocates for sustainable local public health funding and innovative financing opportunities for community health investments. We work with our local health departments to support new and increased funding streams and strategies for their departmental infrastructure and communities most impacted by inequities.

We also work with partners in communities, public health, health care, community development and other sectors to encourage exploration of new prevention financing models, curate best practices of public health financing models, advocate for increased investment in the social determinants of health, and develop stronger cross-sector relationships. One of our key priorities is to ensure resources are allocated equitably, including that funding streams prioritize those communities most impacted by inequities.

Additional Resources

Local Health Department Funding Resources: Investing in Our Local Health DepartmentsInnovative Community Investment Strategies Report and WebinarPrinciples for Funding EquityComment Letter on CalAIM ProcessCOVID-19: Strengthening Public Health Infrastructure