MARSHALL — So far, recent cuts to federal funding haven’t meant layoffs or program cuts for area public health services. But Southwest Health and Human Services has had to shift about $55,000 in funding from other sources to keep some services going, said SWHHS Public Health Director Carol Biren.

Another big concern for SWHHS is the number of employees being cut at the Minnesota Department of Health, Biren said. Last week, MDH announced that it sent layoff notices to 170 employees whose positions were funded by federal grants that had been terminated.

“It is very concerning that these federal cuts have resulted in a significant workforce reduction at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH),” Biren said. “This will drastically impact the support MDH provides us in the areas of vaccine-preventable illnesses surveillance, immunization efforts, and other disease prevention and control activities.”

SWHHS serves six counties in southwest Minnesota, including Lincoln, Lyon, Redwood, Pipestone, Murray and Rock Counties.

Last week, MDH spokespeople said staff cuts were being made at the department due to $220 million in cuts to previously approved federal funding. The layoffs would impact services that support Minnesota’s response to infectious diseases, community clinics and vaccination efforts, and more.

“We are working now to figure out how much of this critical public health work we can save and continue,” Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham said in a news release. “The sudden and unexpected action from the federal government left us with no choice but to proceed with layoffs immediately. It is devastating to be forced to reduce critical services and give notices to so many dedicated public health professionals because the federal government decided to renege on its commitment to our state. They left us in the lurch, with no advance notice, no close-out period, halting work that would have helped us address chronic gaps in the system and be better prepared for future threats.”

MDH said the funding cuts would also reduce support for nursing homes, hospital laboratories, and Tribal Public Health.

Biren said the federal cuts affected funds that SWHHS received to support ongoing recovery efforts after the COVID pandemic.

“We were working on several initiatives to improve access and provide community education, particularly around rural mental health,” Biren said. “At this time, the funding loss does not have a significant impact on those services. All programs will continue without interruption, and there are no staff reductions planned.”

However, SWHHS had to shift funding to other sources. The amount was about $55,000 for SWHHS’s six member counties, Biren said.

The staff cuts at MDH were “very concerning,” Biren said.

“We are working with our leadership team, staff, other public health departments and partners to mitigate the effects on our communities,” Biren said.

 Other public health offices in southern Minnesota have also been affected by federal funding cuts. In March, the Health and Human Services offices in Martin and Faribault counties were told they should cease use of funds they had received during the COVID pandemic, the Fairmont Sentinel reported. A total of $165,000 for programs for promoting childhood development exams and vaccinations, and community support for mental health, was suddenly gone.

Brown County Public Health had to return about $27,000 in federal grant funds from the COVID pandemic, but did not need to cut staff, the New Ulm Journal reported.