The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has sent notices to states and ‍partners pausing public health grants ‍that add up to about $5 billion, Bloomberg News reported on ⁠Saturday.

"The temporary pause ​is for HHS to implement a new review process and to ensure funds are ‍used for their intended purposes," a spokesperson for ⁠the agency told Bloomberg.

Public Health Infrastructure Grants are awarded over a five-year period to help departments aid their ⁠workforce and carry out ​data modernization ⁠as per the grant's website.

Last year in March, the ‍department canceled more than $11 billion in federal grants to states ‌that were allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic and were being used for tracking mental ⁠health ​services, addiction ‍treatment, and other urgent health issues.