Health Resources and Services Administration

Topics on this page: Summary of Activities that Continue | Summary of Contingency Staffing Plan

Summary of Activities that Continue

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will continue activities funded through mandatory funding, prior year carry-over funds, and user fees. Two HRSA programs have a full-year mandatory appropriation for FY 2020 and will have no impact from a lapse in appropriations. HRSA will continue to oversee many direct health services and other activities funded through carryover balances, such as the Health Centers, Rural Communities Opioids Response, and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program - Parts A and B. Because the Health Centers and Ryan White grants are awarded later in the year, these programs will not be impacted by a short-term lapse in appropriations. Additionally, HRSA will continue to oversee the National Practitioner Databanks and Hansen's Disease Program using existing balances. Health professions and other previously funded programs will continue operations.

Summary of Contingency Staffing Plan

In the event of a lapse of appropriation, 1,209 (54%) of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) staff will be retained, including 971 (44%) who are exempt (their activities or position are already funded or otherwise exempted) and 238 (11%) who are excepted (their activities are deemed necessary by implication, or for the safety of human life and protection of property).

Exempt Staff:

A total of 971 (44%) HRSA staff will be exempt. Programs and activities funded through carryover funding, mandatory funding or user fees include Health Centers exempt HRSA staff include 931 staff who support activities that have funding available during a lapse in appropriations. These programs and activities are funded through carryover funding, mandatory funding or user fees include: Health Centers, National Health Services Corps, Teaching Health Centers GME, Ryan White Parts A & B; President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief; Health Center Tort Claims, School-Based Health Centers; Pediatric Mental Health Access Grants; Rural Residency Program; Rural Communities Opioid Response; and Covered Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program., COVID 19 Supplement Funding, Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training, Behavioral Health, COVID Supplemental funding, and the National Practitioner Databank.  There will also be 40 staff paid from a full-year mandatory appropriation to support the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, and Family to Family Health Information Centers.

Excepted Staff:

A total of 238 (11%) HRSA staff are considered excepted and can legally continue their activities in the absence of appropriations. These staff fall into three categories; 1) those whose work is necessary for the safety of human life, 2) those whose work is necessary for the protection of property, and 3) those whose work is "necessarily implied" from the authorized continuation of other activities.

Excepted HRSA staff will continue to perform vital tasks related to imminent threats to human health or life, including staff providing direct patient care in Louisiana for individuals with Hansen's disease. Additionally staff will also be considered excepted and continue to work if their duties are necessary to ensure the ongoing support and operations of funded activities, or if they are needed for the orderly phase down and suspension of non-funded activities. These HRSA staff will continue to provide the necessary operational support to ensure the centers and offices can continue authorized and funded activities, including providing administrative and financial support, grants monitoring and processing, and IT Help Desk and Desktop support for programs with carryover funding and user fees.

HRSA has 81 Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Officers who will continue working under this exception.