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Fulton County public health’s reversal on layoffs
After firing 17 sexual health workers in May, the agency plans to restore at least some of those jobs.
Rebecca Grapevine
July 24, 2025
Hi, Atlanta!
This may be an unpopular opinion: I like going to public health board meetings.
Yes, it’s part of my job. But it’s a valuable way to learn about budgets, mosquito control, infectious diseases, and myriad other topics that shape health in Atlanta. Since the meetings are often IRL only, not livestreamed, and typically held during the workday, I make it a priority to show up and report what happens.
The meetings are a chance to meet the public health leaders who make this work happen, and discern the texture and culture of each county. (I grew up in DeKalb but now live in Fulton.) Plus, watching these discussions is watching democracy in action. It can be boring, contentious, and exhilarating, often at the same time.
At this week’s Fulton County Board of Health meeting, I learned a great deal about how the state’s largest county is responding to the roller-coaster ride of federal funding changes for public health.
Back in May, the board abruptly laid off 17 workers who focused on HIV prevention and sexual health, citing a lack of funding from the federal government.
Now the public health agency for the state’s largest county is making an about face. It plans to restore at least 14 of those positions, I learned at Wednesday’s meeting.
Chris Rustin, interim director for the Fulton health district, said filling the jobs is a priority.
It’s unclear exactly why the jobs were cut, though one letter to a fired employee that was shared with me attributed the termination to “a lack of funding and grant closeout.” Behind the scenes, key Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funding for local public health departments to work on HIV prevention had been delayed.
But those funds have now arrived.
ICYMI
Here’s a recap of the latest reporting from Healthbeat:
Atlanta researchers develop wearable sensor to help outdoor workers stay safe in heat
‘Global work on a local level’: DeKalb gets new tuberculosis clinic
Georgia shows rough road ahead for states as Medicaid work requirements loom
Cuts to food benefits stand in the way of RFK Jr.’s goals for a healthier national diet
The Grapevine 🍇
Neighborhood Nexus, Atlanta’s data nonprofit organization, hosted its summer Data Breakfast Club this week. Data nerds in attendance talked about how nonprofit organizations are responding to the rapidly changing federal funding and policy scene. Several nonprofit leaders, including Neighborhood Nexus executive director Tommy Pearce, said they try to maintain a laser focus on the tasks in front of them, rather than trying to respond to every development. The next club meeting will actually be a happy hour, presumably at a much later time, on Sept. 23.
What I’m hearing from readers:
I wish this could be everywhere TODAY for all outdoor workers.
Hear from Healthbeat on other platforms:
Georgia Health Report: Hear me talk about tuberculosis and DeKalb’s new clinic. The show airs at 5:35 p.m. Saturday on Georgia Public Broadcasting. Listen here.
What Do You Know?
Test your knowledge of public health topics. Today’s question:
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that infects only the lungs. True or false? |
Tell Me More
What public health issues are you thinking about? What stories should I be looking into? You can reach me at [email protected], post a comment, or reply to this email.
In health,
Rebecca
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