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. Five HRSA programs have a full-year mandatory appropriation for FY 2022 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 Rural Communities Opioids Response, and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program - Parts A and B. Because 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, 1,391 (55%) of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) staff will be retained, including 1,156 (46%) who are exempt (their activities or position are already funded or otherwise exempted) and 235 (9%) 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 1,156 (46%) HRSA staff will be exempt. The staff will support the programs and activities funded through carryover funding, mandatory funding or user fees during a lapse in appropriations. 409 staff will continue programs and activities that are funded through carryover funding, or user fees which include: Ryan White Parts A & B; President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief; Ending HIV Epidemic; National Practitioner Databank; Health Center Tort Claims, National Health Service Corps Discretionary, Pediatric Mental Health Access Grants; Rural Residency Program; Rural Communities Opioid Response; Covered Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program; COVID Supplemental funding, and American Rescue Plan Act Supplemental Funding. There will also be 747 staff paid from a full-year mandatory appropriation to support the following programs: Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, Family to Family Health Information Systems; Health Centers, Teaching Health Centers GME, and National Health Service Corps Maternal, Infant,

Excepted Staff:

A total of 235 (9%) 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 78 Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Officers who will continue working under this exception.