MINNEAPOLIS, June 4, 2008–The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is allocating states and major metropolitan areas $1.1 billion to strengthen public health preparedness and help health care facilities respond to emergency events such as an influenza pandemic or terrorist attack.

HHS earmarked $1.1 billion for two related cooperative agreement programs: Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP), administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP), managed by the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).

HHS said it allocated $704.8 million in PHEP funds to states, territories, and certain metropolitan areas, which is down from $896 million the agency granted in 2007. However, last year's amount included $175 million for pandemic influenza preparedness.

In February, The Trust for America's Health (TFAH), a nonprofit public health advocacy group, issued an analysis of the Bush administration's budget proposals for 2009 in which it raised concerns over shrinking funding levels for public health preparedness and hospital readiness programs.

Over the past five years, the funding level has been reduced by one-third, according to a TFAH press release that accompanied the analysis.

At about the same time, a report from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) said that the cuts have impaired local preparedness efforts.