As you have probably seen, President Donald Trump’s Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) Budget proposal was released today.  Included in the budget is a $27 million dollar (or 17.2 percent) cut to the Division of STD Prevention (DSTDP) at CDC.  Large cuts are also proposed for HIV programs, school health, TB, and other safety net programs throughout CDC.

FY18 Proposed Budget

• From information included in the budget proposal, NCSD has determined that in the event that the full proposed cuts were enacted for NCHHSTP:
  • Support for DSTDP Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) positions would be reduced by up to 300 positions nationwide and training for clinicians would end.
  • Funding would only be provided to jurisdictions “most in need” – meaning that DSTDP would no longer fund every state, territory, or directly funded city.
  • Funding would be reduced for HIV testing, support, and prevention services (including school-based health programs), and PrEP demonstration programs.
• As a reminder, this is a proposed FY18 budget request to Congress. Many have already said that this proposed budget is dead on arrival, but there will be a major fight over priorities.

  NCSD is committed to doing everything possible to fight these proposed cuts

FY17 Funding

• CDC will host a NCHHSTP-wide grantee conference call soon to discuss the budget and answer grantee questions.
• To mitigate the $5 million cut to DSTDP in the current FY17 fiscal year, DSTDP will be absorbing federal staff cuts and obtaining new resources from DHAP so that no grantee is cut beyond what was currently projected for FY17.  In return, grantees will be required to enhance certain activities and provide additional data.  More on this soon.

In Summary

NCSD is committed to doing everything possible to fight these proposed cuts so that a viable STD and HIV prevention program is maintained in the U.S. — but we can’t do it all ourselves.  We need members to get involved and help us fight to protect federal funding.  Here are a few ways to help:

• Join us for our June 20-21 advocacy day in Washington. Contact Stephanie Arnold Pang for more information.
• Respond to requests from NCSD for data and information on the potential impact of funding cuts in the coming weeks.
• Be on the lookout for NCSD’s new logo, website, and online advocacy tools, and an announcement about our new communications director to be hired.
• Know that through the work of our talented staff, new public policy and program committees, and our board of director’s active engagement in the work of NCSD, we will be doing everything possible to protect federal STD and HIV funding.

Thank you for all that you do and as always, please contact us for more information or if you have questions.