Our vital healthcare system is under a attack. A nation that cannot protect its health will be unable to protect its future
Public health should never be a partisan punching bag. Here in South Dakota, our values — protecting life, ensuring security, and investing wisely — aren’t just slogans. They are commitments. They’re the promises we make to our children, to our neighbors, and to ourselves. And now, more than ever, we must live up to them.
Every single day, often without recognition, public health professionals across our state and nation are working to keep us safe. They make sure the water flowing from our taps is clean. That the air we breathe is safe. That the food on our tables won’t make our families sick. Their work is quiet, often invisible — but it is absolutely essential.
And yet, this vital system is under attack.
The recent reduction in force at the Department of Health and Human Services, headed by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., seen above, combined with ongoing threats to eliminate life-saving grants and delay critical services, is more than just bureaucratic reshuffling — it’s a dismantling of our first line of defense.
These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. They’re the people who ensure vaccines reach our communities, who prevent disease outbreaks, who help us weather crises with strength and resilience. Here in South Dakota, we will feel the impact. When federal support is cut, it means fewer resources for rural health clinics, less capacity to respond to emergencies, and more South Dakotans left behind.
And this is just the beginning. Looming on the horizon are deeper cuts — cuts that would tear at the very fabric of our public health safety net. Congress is deciding whether to cut basic needs like health care and food. The ripple effects of those cuts will be felt in rural community grocery stores, and in rural health clinics, two anchors keeping our communities alive and vibrant. These cuts threaten not only individual well-being, but the strength of our workforce, the stability of our economy, and the security of our communities.
Because here’s the truth: public health is not just about preventing illness. It’s about building a society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. When one person is sick, struggling, or unable to work, we all feel the ripple effects. Public health is the quiet force that keeps us connected, protected, and strong.
And when it’s working well, you barely notice it.
That’s the paradox. The fewer headlines we make, the better we’re doing. But that quiet success has come at a cost — we’ve failed to tell our story. We haven’t always shown the true value of our work. That’s on us. And we’re ready to do better.
As someone who has spent nearly two decades in this field, I can no longer stay silent. I’m raising the alarm — but I’m also raising a call to action. We must stand together to protect and strengthen our public health systems — not just for the crises we can see, but for the ones we don’t yet know are coming.
Because a nation that can’t protect its health cannot protect its future.
But together, with courage and commitment, we can choose a better path. Let’s build it — together.
Jennifer Folliard, MPH, RDN, is a registered dietitian with a wealth of experience in public health systems and policies. She earned two bachelor of science degrees in human nutrition and nutrition in business from Purdue University and her master of public health, specializing in public health policy and systems of care, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In her previous role as the Maternal Child Health Director for the South Dakota Department of Health, Folliard demonstrated her leadership skills by working with multi-sector partners to develop and advance priorities that would improve the health of South Dakota families. Before her work in South Dakota, Ms. Folliard spent a decade in Washington, D.C., conducting qualitative research in state and federal policy and advocating for these policies to build effective public health systems.
Photo: public domain, wikimedia commons
