CDC Injury Center Lost 45% of Staff; Congress Urges Hiring Overhaul

NewsData.io · United States · Sep 28, 2026

The CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control has lost more than 200 staff members through recent reductions in force, dropping from over 700 full-time equivalent employees in January 2025 to fewer than 400 — a cut of more than 45%. A bipartisan congressional letter is urging HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to streamline hiring processes, implement merit-based screening, and restore workforce capacity at the Center. The Safe States Alliance, which partnered on the letter, warns that bureaucratic hiring barriers are compounding the damage from the workforce cuts. Staffing firms with public-sector or healthcare recruitment capabilities may find emerging opportunity as the agency looks to rebuild headcount under pressure from Congress.