Staff Working on Childhood Lead Exposure Reinstated

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reinstated the Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice (DEHSP) following its previous extensive restructuring within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In June 2025, HHS rescinded reduction-in-force (RIF) notifications for over 450 employees. These rehired workers came from four different operational divisions within the CDC: the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention (NCHHSTP); the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH); the Immediate Office of the Director (IOD); and the Global Health Center (GHC).

This reinstatement is part of a partial reversal of the restructuring that resulted in significant layoffs, particularly affecting employees focused on environmental health issues. The DEHSP consists of epidemiologists, scientists, and administrators responsible for managing grant programs related to asthma and air quality, environmental emergencies, and lead poisoning prevention. While this reversal is a positive step, it is only a partial recovery for the CDC, as many employees remain laid off or their programs have been eliminated due to the ongoing restructuring, raising concerns about the potential gaps in the continuation of crucial work.

Read the NPR investigation on CDC RIF rescissions here