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New report says Georgia’s public health system is stretched thin
The report recommends increasing county funding, consolidating districts, and giving DPH more authority to address workforce and service gaps.
Rebecca Grapevine
January 15, 2026 • Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Hi, Atlanta!
A group of Georgia state representatives this week released a report examining the state’s public health funding and infrastructure, the result of an off-season study committee convened to assess the system’s strengths and weaknesses.
The five-member committee heard testimony from doctors, public health administrators, and national experts before producing the eight-page report, which outlines significant challenges facing public health across Georgia.
Among the findings: Wide variation exists among Georgia’s 159 county health departments in capacity and services. Rural counties, in particular, struggle with transportation barriers, staffing shortages, and high fixed operating costs. Recruiting workers into public health remains difficult statewide, with environmental health professionals and nurses especially hard to attract.
The report also points to an underutilized workforce. Institutions such as Emory University and Morehouse School of Medicine have trained roughly 1,500 community health workers over the past two years, but many have been unable to secure employment. Meanwhile, emergency medical services and other transportation systems are overburdened.
The report makes several recommendations to try to improve public health in Georgia.
The committee suggested that the amount of money counties have to contribute to their health departments be increased. The last increase was in 1972.
The committee recommends shifting from the county-based system to a district-based system, where district health boards would have representation from each county.
DPH should be able to make those consolidation decisions without getting unanimous local consent, the report recommended.
Public health advocates hailed the report.
Lloyd Sirmons, executive director of the Georgia Rural Health Department, said in a press release that rural departments are “stretched thin,” and the recommendations, if adopted, “will help ensure every Georgian, regardless of ZIP code, has access to core public health services.”
Whether the state Legislature will take up these recommendations remains to be seen.
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Here’s a recap of the latest reporting from Healthbeat:
The Grapevine 🍇
I’ll see you later at Georgians for a Healthy Future’s annual Healthcare Unscrambled. I’m excited to join advocates and experts at the Georgia Freight Depot this afternoon to touch base on challenges and opportunities before the legislative session ramps up. Come say hi if you’re there.
What I’m hearing from readers:
Inaction threatens lives. It’s time for new leadership in Georgia — to follow the science and protect our public health.
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In health,
Rebecca
Thumbnail image courtesy of Barbara Marston
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