CM Schulman questions OMB on DOHMH vacancy reductions and public health funding

Thank you very much.

The executive plan includes savings associated with long-term vacant positions at DOHMH and reflects ongoing efforts to manage fiscal constraints while maintaining public health services.

How does OMB evaluate whether vacancy reductions can be achieved without impacting service delivery or DOHMH's core public health functions?

Sure.

Thank you for your question.

We have an extensive engagement with the agencies to make sure that this exercise should not in any way result in any reduction to services.

We leave the flexibility to the agency to understand how they would effectuate the 50% vacancy reduction.

I would also note that in other ways we're adding funding to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for heads that they need, whether it's

the community teams that will do outreach to make sure that folks are signing up for health insurance access and

other needs that we've added for mobile food vending, et cetera.

Thank you.

What funding and staffing requests submitted by DOHMH remain under OMB's review ahead of budget adoption, and what public health investment, if any, does OMB anticipate may be added to the adopted budget?

That's a conversation we look forward to having with the council, the agency.

We had extensive engagement with them in the lead up to the executive budget.

We were able to meet some needs, including funding disease surveillance.

We're also funding maintenance for the new public health lab that's opening up, in addition to the other investments that I noted in the first part of my answer.

So I think we're constantly talking to the agency if there's anything that develops over the next few weeks, but clearly as well with the council.

Okay.