NJ Department of Health receives $80M public health grant from CDC

Matthew Fazelpoor//January 27, 2023

The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) announced Jan 26 it has been awarded a $80.5 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The funding, which the NJDOH will receive over the next five years, is intended to support public health workforce development and training, building foundational capabilities, and data modernization.

It comes via the American Rescue Plan Act’s Public Health Infrastructure Grant Program that is intended to help ensure that every community has the people, services and systems needed to promote and protect health.

Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli — Persichilli

“This is the beginning of a very exciting new chapter for the New Jersey Department of Health and public health in the Garden State,” said Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. “We have a great opportunity to build a more resilient health department with a robust, well-trained workforce, a modernized infrastructure, and a stronger system for a healthier New Jersey. Everyone stands to benefit.”

According to the NJDOH, the funds will be used to continue its transformation and modernization of New Jersey’s public health system by supporting its work to:

Facilitate recruitment, advancement and retention within the public health workforce through workforce planning and professional development
Manage performance across programmatic activities and grants oversight
Expand the NJDOH Centralized Data and Analytics Hub that provides data-driven insights to inform action across the department’s partners
Advance health equity in policy, programs and practice through the Office of Minority and Multicultural Health
Enhance the Office of Women’s Health to support women’s health across their lifespan, which includes a focus on reproductive health
Invest across the agency in understanding health disparities, addressing social determinants of health and facilitating connections to care
Continue to grow regionalized support for local health partners in building workforce capacity and infrastructure

“The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light significant challenges facing our public health system that we must continue to address on behalf of residents,” said Persichilli. “As we emerge from the pandemic and look through the lens of opportunity, we will build on the progress made and continue to embed the innovative, data-driven approaches that we used during the health emergency to forge the future of New Jersey’s public health.”