Over a dozen workers at the Fulton County Board of Health have been terminated, raising concerns about the future of other divisions, as local public health offices feel the squeeze of federal budget cuts. GPB's Sofi Gratas reports.
Over a dozen workers at the Fulton County Board of Health have been terminated, raising concerns about the future of other divisions, as local public health offices feel the squeeze of federal budget cuts.
60-year-old Kevin English Taylor said when he was fired alongside 16 others, including superiors, on Monday, May 19, it felt rushed, and mismanaged.
"It was just the way that they let us go that was the surprise," Taylor said.
Taylor has worked in HIV prevention for over two decades. As an advocate with lived experience, he called this work his "calling."
English Taylor was told the grant that funds his work, helping manage mobile and pop-up testing around Atlanta, runs out at the end of the month. The Georgia Department of Public Health has historically relied on millions in federal dollars to fund work in infectious disease testing and surveillance but many grants have been canceled as a result of cuts to federal health agencies, including grants that fund the work of Community Based Organizations.
The pop-ups reach LGBTQ+ centers, malls, churches and other gathering spots.
"Not only did we do HIV, we also did STI tests and syphilis and HepC testing as well," he said. "On average, it would take three to four people to do mobile outreach testing."
But, he said, there is now only one person left to do that job, almost ensuring disruptions to service. HIV prevention and treatment at the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also been downsized.
"I believe there's going to be a rise in HIV infection and STI infection because of this cut," English Taylor said.
Georgia has one of the highest HIV rates in the nation and some state rates for common sexually transmitted infections are higher than the national average. People in Fulton County and elsewhere can still get tested at their local boards of health.
