The 2022-23 Budget: Public Health Foundational Support

Feb 16, 2022 - While the plan enhances state lab activities, it does not include a clear strategy for integrating the 28 local public health labs and the state lab into a cohesive network. CDPH noted that LHJs would have the option to use their new flexible funding to hire lab staff.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4544

The 2021-22 Budget: California Department of Public Health's COVID‑19 Response [Publication Details]

Feb 5, 2021 - This publication describes how coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spending is reflected in the California Department of Public Health’s budget.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4347

The 2023-24 Budget: Health Workforce Budget Solutions

Feb 21, 2023 - For example, under the CDPH Lab Aspire Program, cohorts of professionals are expected to receive leadership training over multiple years in preparation to direct local public health labs. The Governor ’s proposed solution, however, would only leave funding for the first year of training for one cohort, creating uncertainty as to how the cohort ’s remaining years of training would be supported.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4691

Climate Change Impacts Across California - Health

Apr 5, 2022 - The 2021 ‑22 budget agreement between the Legislature and Governor committed $300  million in ongoing General Fund beginning in 2022 ‑23 for public health “infrastructure ” (such as staffing, lab capacity and equipment, and information technology systems) at the state and local levels.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4580

COVID-19: American Rescue Plan’s Major Health-Related Funding Provisions

May 6, 2021 - Funding for COVID-19 Testing, Treatment, and Vaccine Distribution/Administration Funding to State and Local Governments for Testing, Contact Tracing, Lab Capacity, and Related Activities. The ARP Act includes $47.8  billion for COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, lab capacity, and related activities conducted at the national level and by state, local, and territorial governments.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4425

An Update on the Public Health Laboratory System After the Pandemic

Jun 12, 2025 - CDPH and LHJs did not have enough staff to respond and the demands placed on information technology (IT) systems and public health lab testing quickly exceeded their capacity. Outdated laboratory IT systems made it difficult for the state public health laboratory to collect laboratory results necessary to track COVID-19 outbr eaks across the state and limited its ability to manage testing inventory.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5056

Building California’s Behavioral Health Infrastructure: Progress Update and Opportunities for the Proposition 1 Bond

Feb 5, 2025 - The administration is working to allocate the bond funding quickly, with plans to aw ard up to $3.3  billion in May 2025 and a stated commitment to award all funding by 2026. This leaves a brief window in which the Legislature can conduct oversight of the program and influence the administration ’s program administration decisions.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4954

The 2021-22 Spending Plan: Health

Oct 22, 2021 - Testing — $625.2  million to support the state ’s Valencia Branch Lab, specimen collection at state testing sites run by OptumServe, specimen transportation, and other related testing activities. Vaccinations — $295.2  million to distribute and administer vaccines.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4465

The 2022-23 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 13, 2022 - The COVID ‑19 pandemic exposed weaknesses in state and local public health systems —in staffing levels, expertise, lab capacity, and flexibility. Public health systems previously have been funded largely with categorical sources of funding —federal grants and state special funds —or one ‑time General Fund for specific purposes.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4492