Op-Ed: Public Health in Washington Faces Nearly 40% State Funding Cut Amid Federal Grant Uncertainty

Megan Moore, MPH is the Executive Director of the Washington State Public Health Association

The Washington State Legislature is poised to cut funding for Foundational Public Health Services by nearly 40 percent in the coming weeks, a move public health leaders warn would dismantle the state’s public health system and leave communities across Washington less safe.

The proposed reduction comes as the federal government threatens to withhold and claw back public health grants, creating unprecedented instability for local health systems.

Every person in Washington will feel the loss of this funding. Our public health system is already strained — a reality made clear during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Local health departments struggled to vaccinate people, and residents experienced delays in restaurant and plumbing permits, difficulty getting clinic appointments, and longer waitlists for care. With federal funding increasingly uncertain, it is more important than ever that the state’s commitment to public health remains stable.

Foundational Public Health Services operate across county lines and serve all Washingtonians. These investments protect community health and support a strong economy by ensuring safe food, clean water, and effective responses to emergencies.

Public health services supported by this funding include:

• Issuance of birth and death certificates
• Restaurant permitting and food safety inspections
• Water quality testing to ensure safe drinking water
• Emergency response and recovery during disasters such as wildfires and the recent historic floods in King, Snohomish, and Skagit counties
• Septic system safety to prevent water contamination
• Translation of health communications into the many languages spoken across Washington

Before the state invested in Foundational Public Health Services, counties were forced to shoulder the cost of these essential services on their own, leading to inconsistent access and unequal outcomes across the state.

This funding has been game-changing for public health. It allows us to respond in real time to what’s happening on the ground — without delays. One week it can support flood cleanup efforts, and the next it can be used to track measles cases. No other funding source offers that kind of flexibility.

The proposed state cuts coincide with renewed threats from the Trump administration to eliminate or reclaim major federal public health investments, further destabilizing health systems across Washington.

At a time of increasing federal uncertainty, Washington must stand up and protect Foundational Public Health Services. These investments are critical to keeping our state a safe, healthy place to live, work, and raise a family.