The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will now fully fund the Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program, a key public health initiative aimed at combating overdose deaths from fentanyl and other drugs, according to senior CDC staff.
The decision follows weeks of uncertainty and budget disruptions that threatened critical health programs nationwide.
Two CDC officials, speaking anonymously to NPR, confirmed that full OD2A funding is expected soon, though the exact timeline remains unclear. The development marks a shift from last month, when $140 million intended for the program was being withheld by the Trump administration. This delay impacted 49 states, hampering state and local efforts to address the overdose crisis.
The CDC has also resumed funding for other previously frozen programs, including rape and domestic violence prevention. However, the broader financial situation remains volatile.
For much of the fiscal year, CDC received money in 30-day increments—what one leader described as “money with an eyedropper”—which limited the agency’s ability to issue grants and support state public health operations.
Programs targeting HIV prevention, cancer registries, and overdose prevention all faced delays, leading to missed deadlines and even layoffs at some local health departments. In North Carolina, for example, staff were laid off due to uncertainty, only for funding to arrive weeks later with no explanation.
Sharon Gilmartin, director of the Safe States Alliance, welcomed the news of full OD2A funding but emphasized the toll the delays have already taken. “It’s not without damage. And it raises questions about next year’s funding stability,” she said.
Despite these improvements, dozens of other CDC programs have now had their budget lines frozen by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Affected programs focus on chronic disease prevention, youth violence, early childhood health, and more. Some leaders are puzzled by the choices, seeing no clear ideological or fiscal logic behind which initiatives were frozen and which were not.
“There’s no overarching strategy,” one senior CDC official noted, pointing out that some laid-off teams had full funding, while some active, staffed programs are now frozen.
As the 2025 budget process continues, public health advocates remain cautious. Many say the uncertainty itself has already harmed the country’s health infrastructure—and worry the pattern may repeat in future years.
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