2 weeks ago
New CDC Director Apologizes for Staff’s Psychological Unsafety
Erica Schwartz is the new leader of the CDC, the US public health agency.
She told workers that she was sorry they felt afraid to speak openly.
She wants employees to trust their leaders and work together, even when they disagree.
The CDC has lost many workers and is dealing with several health emergencies.
Schwartz said her main goals are rebuilding public trust, finding health threats sooner, and working more closely with communities.
She also said she believes vaccines are safe and effective.
A new task force will study changes to childhood vaccine guidance.
Schwartz said this task force will not replace the committee that makes federal vaccine recommendations.
Workers also asked about rehiring people who were dismissed and about burnout.
CDC Director Erica Schwartz apologized to employees who feel unsafe speaking honestly or fear retaliation.
The agency has faced turmoil under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., including major staff losses.
Schwartz said restoring public trust, improving threat detection, and strengthening partnerships are her top priorities.
She said the CDC will participate in reviewing a Trump administration vaccine-related executive order, while ACIP retains its role.
Nearly a quarter of CDC employees have left in the past year amid layoffs, burnout, and pressure from public health responses.
- Who
- CDC Director Erica Schwartz, CDC employees, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and other agency leaders.
- What
- Schwartz apologized for employees’ lack of psychological safety and outlined her priorities for leading the CDC.
- Where
- At the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- When
- Wednesday, during Schwartz’s first agency-wide address since becoming director; she had been in the job for less than one week.
- Why
- Employees raised concerns about retaliation, agency turmoil, staff departures, burnout, and political pressure over vaccine policy.
Employee Concerns
Leadership Response
Psychological safety and dissent
Employee Concerns
Employees expressed fear of retaliation and concern about speaking openly after turmoil at the agency.
Leadership Response
Schwartz said leaders should be held accountable for creating an environment where staff can speak freely, disagree, and still feel like one team.
Staffing and workload
Employee Concerns
Employees asked about rehiring people dismissed during reductions in force and described burnout amid major public health demands.
Leadership Response
New leaders said they are focused on hiring more people to reduce pressure on the agency.
Vaccine policy
Employee Concerns
The CDC’s vaccine policy process has faced controversy and legal challenges following changes to the federal advisory panel and new administration guidance.
Leadership Response
Schwartz said vaccines are safe and effective, and that the new task force will provide information to ACIP rather than replace it.
Key facts
- Agency
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Director
- Erica Schwartz
- Top priorities
- Rebuilding public trust, detecting threats earlier, and strengthening partnerships with states, local communities, tribes, and territories
- Staff departures
- Nearly one-quarter of CDC staff have left in the past year
- Vaccine task force
- The CDC is a member of the Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines, which has not yet met
- ACIP status
- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has not met since a federal judge paused its activities
- Public health pressures
- The agency is responding to the Ebola spread in Africa and multiple foodborne illness outbreaks
Quotes
Director Erica Schwartz
New CDC director addressing agency staff
“I’m hoping that you could hold us accountable as your leaders. Maybe three months from now, you can say we feel a little bit better.”
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“I’m so sorry that you have to live under this extreme psychological unsafety.”
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Sources
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