Local health departments in New York are set to receive nearly $26 million in funding after two years of being on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The money is meant to shore up what are considered core public health services performed by local-level officials, including communicable disease control and emergency preparedness and response. 

Funding for those provisions had not been increased in more than seven years in prior state budgets. 

“Over the past two years, New Yorkers have had the opportunity to see their local health departments in action as they rose to the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Martha Sauerbrey, the president of the New York State Association of Counties and the Tioga County Chair. "We commend Gov. Hochul and legislative leaders for making the investments we need to ensure our local health departments are prepared to see our state through this pandemic and confront whatever comes next.”

Local health departments are also expected to receive an increase in base grant funding to full-service local health departments to $750,000. The budget also increases base grant funding to partial-service local health departments to $577,500. 

And the budget made changes to fringe benefits including employee retirement funds and health insurance as an eligible expense for state aid. The move is meant to help the departments retain workers. 

“The work our local health departments did during the pandemic was commendable but came with a cost: burnout, fatigue, and high turnover," said Stephen Acquario, the executive director of the New Yoek State Association of Counties. "This new funding will be critical as it enables local health departments to retain and attract the next generation of public health heroes.”