Topics on this page: Summary of Activities that Continue | Summary of Contingency Staffing Plan
Summary of Activities that Continue
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will continue activities funded through mandatory funding, prior year carry-over funds, and user fees. Two HRSA programs have a full-year mandatory appropriation for FY 2020 and will have no impact from a lapse in appropriations. HRSA will continue to oversee many direct health services and other activities funded through carryover balances, such as the Health Centers, Rural Communities Opioids Response, and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program – Parts A and B. Because the Health Centers and Ryan White grants are awarded later in the year, these programs will not be impacted by a short-term lapse in appropriations. Additionally, HRSA will continue to oversee the National Practitioner Databanks and Hansen's Disease Program using existing balances. Health professions and other previously funded programs will continue operations.
Summary of Contingency Staffing Plan
In the event of a lapse of appropriation, 1,201 (54%) of the HRSA staff will be retained, including 949 (43%) who are exempt (their activities or position are already funded or otherwise exempted) and 252 (11%) who are excepted (their activities are deemed necessary by implication, or for the safety of human life and protection of property).
Exempt Staff:
A total of 949 (43%) HRSA staff will be exempt. Programs and activities funded through carryover funding, mandatory funding or user fees have funding available during a lapse in appropriations. These programs and activities are funded through carryover funding, mandatory funding or user fees include: Health Centers, Rural Communities Opioid Response, the Ryan White Program, National Health Service Corps, and Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education, and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. There will also be staff paid from a full-year mandatory appropriation to support the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, and Family to Family Health Information Centers, and the National Practitioner Databank.
Excepted Staff:
A total of 252 (11%) HRSA staff are considered excepted and can legally continue their activities in the absence of appropriations. These staff fall into three categories; 1) those whose work is necessary for the safety of human life, 2) those whose work is necessary for the protection of property, and 3) those whose work is "necessarily implied" from the authorized continuation of other activities or the need to phase down and suspend operations.
Excepted HRSA staff will continue to perform vital tasks related to imminent threats to human health or life, including staff providing direct patient care in Louisiana for individuals with Hansen's disease. Additionally staff will also be considered excepted and continue to work if their duties are necessary to ensure the ongoing support and operations of funded activities, or if they are needed for the orderly phase down and suspension of non-funded activities. These HRSA staff will continue to provide the necessary operational support to ensure the centers and offices can continue authorized and funded activities, including providing administrative and financial support, grants monitoring and processing, and IT Help Desk and Desktop support for programs with carryover funding and user fees.
Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Officers will also continue working under this exception.
