Across 17 HHS agencies, a subagency that researches the quality, safety and affordability of healthcare services experienced the sharpest reduction in its workforce over the past year, according to data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s workforce declined 65%, from 298 employees in fiscal 2024 to 103 as of December 2025. The AHRQ has developed dozens of tools and resources for the healthcare industry, including toolkits to improve the discharge process and reduce healthcare-associated infections, according to its website.
Throughout 2025 and 2026, the U.S. government has enacted multiple rounds of layoffs across HHS as part of an effort to dismiss 10,000 full-time employees. Former HHS workers and 19 states and Washington, D.C., have filed lawsuits regarding the layoffs. In August, two national physician groups filed a lawsuit over the downsizing and staff firings in AHRQ.
The three largest HHS agencies by workforce — the CDC, FDA and National Institutes of Health — each experienced a workforce decline of about 20%, according to data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
In recent months, HHS has reversed a few hundred CDC layoffs, but overall, the CDC’s workforce has declined 24%, from 12,820 workers in 2024 to 9,769. The reversals represent a small proportion of the 17,486 fewer HHS employees — most of whom were laid off, while a few resigned.
In 2024, HHS employed 92,620 workers — representing its highest employee count since at least 2015, according to data from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. As of December 2025, HHS employed 75,134 individuals.
Here’s a breakdown of each HHS subagency, ranked by percentage change in number of employees:
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
2024 employee count: 298
Current employee count: 103
Approximate percentage change: -65%
Administration for Community Living
2024 employee count: 243
Current employee count: 119
Approximate percentage change: -51%
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
2024 employee count: 916
Current employee count: 554
Approximate percentage change: -40%
Health Resources and Services Administration
2024 employee count: 2,689
Current employee count: 1,731
Approximate percentage change: -36%
Program Support Center
2024 employee count: 410
Current employee count: 281
Approximate percentage change: -31%
Administration for Children and Families
2024 employee count: 2,187
Current employee count: 1,556
Approximate percentage change: -29%
Office of the Secretary of HHS
2024 employee count: 3,129
Current employee count: 2,332
Approximate percentage change: -25%
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
2024 employee count: 173
Current employee count: 130
Approximate percentage change: -25%
CDC
2024 employee count: 12,820
Current employee count: 9,769
Approximate percentage change: -24%
FDA
2024 employee count: 20,912
Current employee count: 16,602
Approximate percentage change: -21%
National Institutes of Health
2024 employee count: 21,097
Current employee count: 17,070
Approximate percentage change: -19%
Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals
2024 employee count: 662
Current employee count: 546
Approximate percentage change: -18%
CMS
2024 employee count: 6,557
Current employee count: 5,541
Approximate percentage change: -15%
Office of Inspector General
2024 employee count: 1,544
Current employee count: 1,343
Approximate percentage change: -13%
Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response
2024 employee count: 5,123
Current employee count: 4,679
Approximate percentage change: -9%
Indian Health Service
2024 employee count: 13,859
Current employee count: 12,777
Approximate percentage change: -8%
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
2024 employee count: 1
Current employee count: 1
Approximate percentage change: 0%
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