HHS FY 2018 Budget in Brief - CDC

Topics on this page: CDC Budget OverviewImmunization and Respiratory Diseases | HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Infections and Tuberculosis Prevention | Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases | Public Health Scientific Services | Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion | Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities | Environmental Health | Injury Prevention and Control | Occupational Safety and Health | Public Health Preparedness and Response | Global Health | Buildings and Facilities | Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety, and security threats, both foreign and in the United States.  Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.

CDC Budget Overview

(Dollars in millions)

Table Footnotes

1/ In addition, the FY 2016 Zika Response and Preparedness Act (P.L. 114-223) provided $397 million to CDC for Zika preparedness  and response.
2/ Reflects the annualized level of the Continuing Resolution that ended April 28, 2017, including the across the board reduction, the 21st Century     Cures Act, and directed transfers.
3/ Reflects Federal share obligations only; NYC share is not included. Obligations for FY 2016 reflect actual; FY 2017/FY 2018 reflect estimates.

CDC increases the health security of our nation.  As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats.  To accomplish our mission, CDC conducts critical science and provides health information that protects our nation against expensive and dangerous health threats, and responds when these arise.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the Nation’s health protection agency, working 24/7 to conduct critical scientific research, provide information that protects our nation against dangerous health threats, and respond when such threats arise.  CDC increases the health security of our nation.  As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC is committed to maximizing the impact of every dollar entrusted to it and continuing critical work to increase public health capacity at local, State, national, and global levels.

CDC keeps America secure by controlling disease outbreaks; making sure food and water are safe; helping people avoid leading causes of death such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes; and working globally to reduce threats to the Nation’s health.  Good public health decision-making depends on the right information.  CDC monitors health-related issues, informs decision-makers, and provides the public with information so they can take responsibility for their own health.  By connecting State and local health departments across the United States, CDC can discover patterns of disease and respond when needed.  Local and State labs must be able to safely detect and respond to health threats in order to prevent premature death, injury, and disease.  CDC trains and guides State and local public health lab partners.

CDC is the key source of information for health professionals around the world.  Ranging from recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to clinical guidance on emerging health threats like Zika virus and Ebola, health professionals count on CDC for accurate and timely guidance and situational updates.

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Budget for CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is $11.1 billion, a decrease of $1.0 billion relative to FY 2017.  This total includes $5.1 billion in budget authority, $841 million from the Prevention and Public Health Fund, and $143 million in Public Health Service (PHS) Evaluation Funds.

At this funding level, CDC will continue to protect the nation and the world by:  detecting, responding to, and stopping new and emerging health threats; preventing injuries, illness, and premature deaths; and discovering new ways to protect and improve the public’s health through science and advanced technology.  The Budget prioritizes funding for key areas where CDC can have the greatest impact, including:  continuing the fight against opioid abuse, misuse, and overdose; supporting efforts to combat childhood obesity; protecting the Nation’s national security through medical countermeasure stockpiling; and investing in CDC’s infrastructure to ensure the safety, security and productivity of CDC staff.

The Budget provides CDC with increased flexibility to allocate resources and implement policies that best support mission-critical activities based on current science and public health expertise.  This programmatic flexibility will enable the CDC to focus on programs that have been proven effective, while reducing costs and improving the efficient use of resources.  The Budget establishes the new America’s Health Block Grant, reforming the model of existing state-based chronic disease programs to increase flexibility, allowing States to focus on leading public health challenges specific to their State.

Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

CDC protects Americans from infectious diseases by issuing recommendations and guidance for the prevention and control of vaccine-preventable diseases and respiratory diseases.  Through programs such as the Vaccines for Children Program, CDC improves access to immunization services for uninsured and underinsured United States populations and supports the scientific base for vaccine policy and practices.  CDC delivers critical epidemiology and laboratory capacity to detect, prevent, and respond to vaccine-preventable and respiratory infectious disease threats and conducts preparedness planning for pandemic influenza.

The FY 2018 Budget includes $701 million for the discretionary programs supported within CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, $82 million below the funding level reflected in the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution.  Within this funding level, the influenza prevention and control program is prioritized to ensure domestic and global capacity is supported to respond to annual seasonal influenza epidemics, detect and mitigate the next influenza pandemic, and respond to other influenza emergencies.  Core influenza activities are a critical foundation in supporting any effective pandemic response, which is especially pertinent given the recent H7N9 influenza outbreak in China.

HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Infections and Tuberculosis Prevention

CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Tuberculosis Prevention prioritizes cost-effective, scalable programs, policies, and research to achieve the greatest impact on reducing the incidence of HIV, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, and tuberculosis and preventing related illness and death.  These infections result in high personal, societal, and economic costs, both in the United States and around the world. 

The Budget includes $934 million for domestic HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, and tuberculosis prevention, a decrease of $186 million below the spending level allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution.

CDC leads the fight to prevent new HIV infections, to eliminate tuberculosis, and to control sexually transmitted infections.  The Budget prioritizes the most effective, evidence-based activities and maintains funding levels for hepatitis.  Today, an estimated 4.4 million Americans from all walks of life are living with chronic viral hepatitis infection and are at increased risk for liver disease, liver cancer, and death.  In 2012, hepatitis C-related deaths surpassed deaths from all other reportable infectious diseases combined and continued to rise in 2013 and 2014, killing more Americans each year.  At this funding level, CDC will continue to support:  vaccination-based prevention strategies; new infections detection, investigation, and response efforts; and expansion of testing and linkage to medical care.

Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases

CDC’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases is committed to protecting people from infectious diseases no matter where they occur.  CDC targets infectious diseases ranging from the familiar, such as foodborne illnesses and healthcare-associated infections, to the less common but deadly, such as anthrax and Ebola.  CDC manages a broad portfolio of science-based programs that combine laboratory, epidemiologic, analytic, and prevention technologies with public health tools.  CDC collaborates with state and local health departments, other Federal government agencies, industry, and foreign ministries of health.  The Budget includes $514 million to support CDC’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, a decrease of $65 million below the spending level allowed by FY 2017 Continuing Resolution.

Diseases spread by mosquitos and ticks will continue to evolve and move into new areas, including the United States.  Outbreaks like Zika will not be a one-time event.  Capacity building at all levels, as well as innovation in diagnostics, is needed to prevent and control these outbreaks and understand more about the vectors.  To continue supporting CDC’s efforts around Zika preparedness and other vector-borne diseases, the Budget includes an increase of $23 million above the spending level allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution for a total of $49 million.

Foodborne illness is a common, costly—yet preventable—public health problem.  CDC estimates that one in six Americans get sick from contaminated foods or beverages and 3,000 die each year.  The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that foodborne illnesses cost $15.6 billion dollars each year. 

Foodborne illness is a common, costly—yet preventable—public health problem.  CDC estimates that one in six Americans get sick from contaminated foods or beverages and 3,000 die each year.  The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that foodborne illnesses cost $15.6 billion dollars each year. 

CDC provides the vital link between illness in people and the food safety systems of government agencies and food producers.  The Budget maintains support for CDC’s Food Safety activities at a total of $51 million.  This funding will support:  investigations of current outbreaks and evaluations of past outbreaks; State and local health agencies to enhance national surveillance, improving foodborne outbreak detection, response, and prevention; and data analysis to drive prevention efforts.

Public Health Scientific Services

CDC’s Office of Public Health Scientific Services leads CDC’s efforts to improve the collection, analysis, and availability of public health data and information to improve America’s health, safety, and security.  CDC provides guidance and advice across HHS and advances data system modernization and interoperability, information innovation, and enhanced data analysis, synthesis, and translation.

High-quality health statistics are necessary to make evidence-based decisions to improve health and healthcare in the United States.  The National Center for Health Statistics serves as one of the nation’s principal statistical agencies, collecting, analyzing, and disseminating accurate, objective data to monitor long-term trends as well as detect short-term changes of public health importance.  Leaders, health professionals, and an increasingly connected public look to CDC for relevant, credible, and objective health information. 

The FY 2018 Budget includes $460 million to support public health scientific services activities, a decrease of $31 million below the spending level allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution.  CDC will continue to support the most effective public health workforce training and workforce development programs, and core health care statistics at the reduced level. 

Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Chronic diseases are the main cause of sickness, disability, death, and health care costs.  They are often
preventable.  Most chronic diseases are caused by a few risk behaviors:  tobacco use, poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, and excessive alcohol consumption.

CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion works to prevent these behaviors and support healthy living from birth through old age.  CDC research indicates chronic diseases are responsible for seven of 10 deaths each year, and treating people with chronic diseases accounts for 86 percent of our nation’s health care costs.

The FY 2018 Budget includes $952 million for chronic disease prevention and health promotion activities, a decrease of $222 million below the spending level allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution.  At this funding level, CDC will maximize its efficiency and public health impact by focusing on programs that implement evidence-based strategies and improve results across a variety of health outcomes.  In alignment with this strategy, the Budget establishes a new America’s Health Block Grant to provide flexibility for each state to implement specific interventions to address its population’s unique public health issues. States could use this funding to support interventions such as:  tobacco prevention and control; diabetes; heart disease and stroke; nutrition, physical activity, and obesity; and arthritis.

The Budget includes $337 million for cancer prevention and control, a decrease of $18 million below the spending level allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution.  This new approach will allow CDC to address the highest priorities and foster a more efficient cancer program overall, allowing cross-cutting activities to provide support to multiple types of cancer.

Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities

CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities prevents birth defects and developmental disorders where possible and enhances the health and quality of life for people who live with them.  The early years of life (birth to five years of age) are critical to a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional development.  CDC works with partners to develop public health tools and interventions that give all children the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Developmental disabilities, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, and vision impairment, are some of the most significant child health issues facing families and our nation today.  About one in six children in the United States have developmental disabilities or other developmental delays.  CDC works to understand how common developmental disabilities are, identifying factors that can put children at risk, exploring possible causes, and improving identification of developmental delays so children and families can get the services and support they need as early as possible.

The FY 2018 Budget includes $100 million to support birth defects and developmental disabilities, a decrease of $35 million below the spending level allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution.  At this funding level, CDC will focus its birth defects and developmental disabilities portfolio on core public health activities that align with CDC’s mission and have proven interventions to make an impact on America’s health.

Environmental Health

CDC protects America’s health from environmental hazards that can be present in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the world that sustains us.  The National Center for Environmental Health investigates the relationship between environmental factors and health, develops guidance, and builds partnerships to support healthy decision-making.  These investments contribute to CDC’s overall goal of keeping Americans safe from environmental hazards.

The Budget includes $17 million in funding for the Childhood Lead Prevention Program, which is flat with the program’s base spending allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution.  In FY 2018, this program will continue to build upon CDC’s past success in reducing children’s blood lead levels in the United States.

Injury Prevention and Control

Injuries and violence affect everyone, regardless of age, race, or economic status.  In the first half of life, more Americans die from violence and injuries—such as motor vehicle crashes, falls, or homicides—than from any other cause, including cancer, HIV/AIDS, or the flu.

As the nation’s leading authority on violence and injury prevention, CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control is committed to saving lives, protecting people, and lowering the social and economic costs of violence and injuries.  CDC collects data to identify problems and monitor progress, uses research to understand what works, and promotes evidence-based strategies to inform real-world solutions.  CDC’s goal is to offer individuals, communities, and states timely, accurate information and useful resources to keep people safe where they live, work, play, and learn.

The FY 2018 Budget includes $216 million in budget authority for injury prevention and control activities, a decrease of $19 million below the spending level allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution.

One of CDC’s top priorities in the FY 2018 Budget is to sustain support to activities preventing opioid abuse and overdose.  CDC applies its scientific expertise to help curb the epidemic in three ways:  improving data quality and surveillance to monitor and respond to the epidemic; supporting States in their efforts to implement effective solutions and interventions; and equipping healthcare providers with the data and tools needed to improve the safety of their patients.  The FY 2018 Budget includes $75 million in funding to support these efforts, maintaining the spending level allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution funding level.

The Budget prioritizes domestic violence prevention programs, such as the Rape Prevention Program, which provides funding to grantees to implement statewide sexual violence prevention plans, implement and evaluate prevention programs, and address local sexual violence prevention needs.

Occupational Safety and Health

CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is the only Federal entity responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. NIOSH works closely with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Mine Safety and Health Administration in the United States Department of Labor to protect American workers and miners.  NIOSH also administers the World Trade Center Health Program, which provides medical monitoring and treatment for eligible 9/11 responders and survivors and funds research into health conditions associated with the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The FY 2018 Budget includes $200 million to support occupational health and safety, a decrease of $138 million below the spending level allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution.  NIOSH will conduct research to reduce worker illness and injury, and to advance worker well-being, but will not continue to fund State and academic partners for conducting, translating, or evaluating research.

In addition, the Budget includes $366 million in mandatory funding supported by the World Trade Center Health Program, and $55 million in mandatory funding for the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act.

Public Health Preparedness and Response

CDC’s Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response works to strengthen and support the Nation’s health security to save lives and protect against public health threats.  CDC protects the safety, security, and health of the United States by providing lifesaving response to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, as well as other disasters, outbreaks, and epidemics.  The Budget provides $1.3 billion for public health emergency preparedness activities within CDC, which is $136 million below the spending level allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution.

A critical component of CDC’s preparedness and response activities are the Public Health and Emergency Preparedness cooperative agreements, which directly support State and local health departments.  The Budget provides $551 million to the cooperative agreements to enable public health agencies to build resilient communities that have strong public health emergency management and response systems, all resulting in improving the overall safety of American communities.  State and local health departments use this funding to advance, sustain, and develop the necessary tools to ensure local communities can effectively management public health emergencies.  The program will implement reforms to improve the efficiency of the program; these reforms are complementary to the programmatic changes in the Hospital Preparedness Program within the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.  The Budget restructures HHS preparedness grants to reduce overlap and administrative costs and directs resources to States with the greatest need.  The Budget will introduce competition, risk, and link awards to performance.  These grants will support entities that are most innovative in their approach to health care delivery system readiness and public health preparedness.  These reforms will provide resources to localities with the greatest need, and encourage innovation by introducing competition to the grant program.  Additionally, the program will focus funding decisions on performance by providing awards to recipients who are demonstrating critical emergency preparedness outcomes.

The Budget includes $575 million for the Strategic National Stockpile—$1 million above the spending level allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution—to maintain a repository of medical countermeasures that can be rapidly deployed to support State, territorial, and local response to public health threats.  CDC’s Strategic National Stockpile is the largest Federally-owned supply of lifesaving pharmaceuticals and medical equipment available for emergency use.  At this funding level, CDC will be able to maintain inventory levels for the majority of stockpiled products and continue training responders nationwide to receive and use medical countermeasures when deployed.

The Budget provides reduced funding for operations for CDC’s Emergency Operation Center, which conducts real-time research monitoring of public health events, outbreaks, and hazardous agents and the Select Agents Program, which keeps communities safe by overseeing laboratories that work with deadly pathogens and toxins. 

Global Health

By ensuring that countries have the capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to threats within their borders, CDC’s Center for Global Health helps prevent regional and global health crises that affect health, security, and economic stability abroad and at home.  These activities provide a global safety net by monitoring for disease outbreaks 24/7 around the world.  CDC uses scientific data to track diseases and other health threats and target services to those who need them most across a variety of programs, including global immunization, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, parasitic diseases and malaria, and disease detection and response, as well as health systems and laboratories.

The FY 2018 Budget includes $350 million for global health activities, a decrease of $76 million below the spending level allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution.  This funding will support key global health activities including polio eradication, global tuberculosis, measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases, parasitic diseases and malaria, and ongoing global health protection.

This funding level also includes support of ongoing efforts in polio eradication.  CDC’s leadership and guidance in accountability, environmental surveillance, and scientific and programmatic implementation has contributed substantially to the more than 99.9 percent decline in global and United States polio cases.  In FY 2018, CDC will focus its polio eradication efforts on core public health activities that align with CDC’s mission and use proven interventions to move towards global eradication to ensure Americans are not at risk from this deadly disease anymore.

Buildings and Facilities

The FY 2018 Budget includes $20 million for CDC’s facility repair and improvements, an increase of $10 million above the spending level allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution.  This additional funding will support infrastructure repairs and improvements to ensure CDC’s critical public health work can continue in buildings and facilities that support a safe, world-class research environment.  Investments in CDC’s infrastructure are essential to ensure that CDC can respond to the public health needs in the next decade.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is a nonregulatory environmental health agency that provides public health expertise to keep Americans safe from hazards in the environment.  Environmental factors contribute to more than 25 percent of diseases worldwide, including cancer, asthma, and heart disease.

ATSDR experts provide a 24/7 response to toxic chemical exposure, hazardous leaks and spills, environmentally related poisonings, natural disasters, and terrorist acts.  ATSDR works in communities to assess human exposures to potentially harmful contaminants; advises Federal and State regulatory agencies and community members on actions needed to protect health; answers questions about environmental exposures; and provides guidance to health care providers.

The FY 2018 Budget includes $62 million for ATSDR, a decrease of $13 million below the spending level allowed by the FY 2017 Continuing Resolution.  At this funding level, ATSDR will support the highest priority community requests for public health assessments and consultations.