Organizations that depend on federal grants are breathing a sigh of relief now that the Trump administration has rescinded a freeze on all such grants so they can be reviewed.

The announcement of the freeze late Monday sparked speculation nationwide regarding what, exactly it would mean. Such conversations started at the Berrien County Health Department, which receives federal funding for a variety of its programs.

Berrien County Health Officer Guy Miller tells us the department wasn’t sure yet what to make of the announced freeze when it was rescinded Wednesday.

“We needed more clarity,” Miller said. “There was really no indication at this point that federal funds are being recalled or that we would lose funding of any sort. But it’s a scary reality if all of a sudden federal funding was to disappear in many aspects of the health department and the county of Berrien as a whole.”

We wondered what could have been affected.

“I don’t think anything that’s mandated under the Michigan state law would go away, but we do have supportive wraparound services like family services that go out into the community and try to help people who are at higher risk. Those are always a little bit more finicky year to year with how we’re going to fund.”

Miller said cuts in federal funding could potentially be devastating, but it’s still unknown exactly what Tuesday’s order would have meant. He noted much of the federal funding the department gets trickles down to it from the state. For now, Miller says it’s business as usual at the health department.