Since the accession of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the head of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), more than 10,000 employees were laid off in February, in addition to the 10,000 who left voluntarily. Under the plan, the HHS workforce is to be cut by 25%, saving $1.8 billion a year and cutting the number of divisions from 28 by nearly half. Kennedy said the "alphabet of departments" would be eliminated while preserving their core functions. Some programs, such as the CDC's pediatric lead poisoning monitoring program, were accidentally canceled and then reinstated, along with research and non-administrative staff. More than 1,000 current and former HHS employees have called on Kennedy to resign in a letter accusing him of endangering the health of Americans. Among the departures are four senior CDC leaders following the dismissal of Director Susan Monarez. HHS responded that the CDC was chronically dysfunctional and in need of reform with additional personnel changes.[1][2][3]