Cook County public health grant threatened by federal funding cancellation

Grant funding for Cook County Public Health and Human Services (PHHS) is at risk after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) canceled millions of dollars in public health investments for Minnesota.

The Public Health Infrastructure Grant awarded Cook County more than $30,000. Statewide, about $38 million in public health funding was canceled, effective Feb. 11.

“This is federal funding that we receive locally, and it primarily was earmarked for covering travel and training costs over a four and a half year period that was slotted to end in the fall of 2027,” PHHS Director Grace Grianger told WTIP. “We were exploring using some of those funds to cover staff time.”

Across the country, all states and 107 health departments received funding from the grant program, but only Minnesota and three other states have had the funding canceled.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed a lawsuit challenging the federal action alongside attorneys general from the other affected states. A judge granted a temporary restraining order while the case proceeds, allowing Cook County to retain access to the grant funds for now.

The CDC’s actions were followed by Vice President JD Vance announcing that the Trump administration would “temporarily halt” some Medicaid funding to the state of Minnesota, citing the state’s fraud issues as the reason.  The Trump administration also initiated multiple freezes on federal funding for Minnesota in January.

“I know there’s fraud,” North Shore Health CEO Kimber Wraalstad told WTIP. “I know there is fraud that is occurring in Minnesota Medicaid, but I also know there’s fraud going on in 49 other states as well. So this presumption that Minnesota is unique, I think, is an unfair statement, but that’s political, you know. I care about taking care of people.”

During a February Public Health and Human Services Board meeting, Grinager recommended a state government website that outlines how Minnesota monitors federal funds, addresses program integrity, and handles waste, fraud and abuse.

“I think it provides additional context, because if you hear just the headline in the news, it’s alarming, but it doesn’t really tell the whole story,” Grinager said.  ” I think Minnesota is doing some really innovative work in addressing these issues, and I would say also at a local level, all of our staff at PHHS are required to take training on recognizing and responding to waste, fraud, and abuse on an annual basis.”

Josh Hinke March 1, 2026