The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced drastic cuts to the workforce Thursday, and the HHS regional office in Dallas, Texas, could be on the chopping block. As part of a broader effort to reduce federal spending, the HHS said it plans to reduce its regional offices from ten to five.
This move is a key part of the Trump administration’s push to fulfill its campaign promise to reduce federal waste. The department is also planning to downsize several offices and cut the national workforce by 10,000 employees.
The Dallas office represents region six, which consists of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico. It is the third-largest region, as the area contains about 13 percent of the U.S. population.
According to the regional website, the department’s priorities are “chronic disease prevention, maternal morbidity and mortality, substance use and harm reduction programs, increasing access to health care and coverage, and non-medical drivers of health.”
In addition to reducing the HHS workforce by 10,000, the department announced that 10,000 employees have agreed to leave voluntarily through early retirement or other programs, bringing the total workforce from 82,000 full-time employees to 62,000.
Source: Texas HHS office in jeopardy as department unveils 10,000 layoffs / CHRON