Joe Dougherty

People react to tragic incidents in different ways. If you or someone you know is struggling, please call 988. This phone number is for anyone in crisis.

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services would like to thank Utah’s first Lady Abby Cox (@showuputah) for visiting the Division of Child and Family Services Sandy office. While visiting with staff she listened as they talked about their challenges and offered solutions that could accomplish their ultimate goal: keep Utah’s children safe and help families thrive. DHHS has made it a yearly priority to spend time listening to DCFS staff as well as community partners. These sessions can provide a lot of on-the-ground insight into how to improve DCFS services. The sessions, held statewide, began earlier this month and will continue into October.

Please don't ignore a call from (801) 538-6008. We're conducting a survey about health risks which has helped us detect cancer earlier, prevent suicide, and support people with chronic diseases. Learn more: healthassessment.utah.gov/ac…

Measles in Utah update As of July 1, 2025, Utah has 9 residents with confirmed measles: 7 people are Utah County residents 2 people are southwest Utah residents All of these people are unvaccinated. All of the people who have been identified with measles since last week are known contacts to the people who were identified earlier and were being actively monitored for measles symptoms. Learn about measles symptoms and prevention at epi.utah.gov/measles-respons…

Utah Measles Alert: Two new measles cases have been confirmed in Utah: One is an adult in Utah County, and the other is a Southwest Utah resident. This brings Utah’s total to 3 cases. The two new cases are unvaccinated and not linked to each other or the person diagnosed with measles who was reported last week. Public health investigations are ongoing to identify any locations where possible exposures may have occurred.

If you, or someone you know, are experiencing domestic or dating violence, resources are available. Across the state, domestic violence shelters are available and open 24/7. Shelters offer support to adult victims and their children who need domestic violence services. Anyone, regardless of marital status, income, or other factors, can access services. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911. The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition hotline can be reached 24/7 at 1-800-897-5465 or online at udvc.org to connect you with shelter locations, resources, or safety planning. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available at 1-800-799-7233 or online at thehotline.org/ Also, consider downloading the myPlan Safety App which you can learn about at myplanapp.org/. Built-in safety features include: Completely anonymous to use - no account set up required Set your own secure PIN code to keep info private “Dummy code” hides contents of the app if forced to log in Changeable icon to hide the app on your home screen

This week, we kicked off the Legislative Session with reports to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee. This committee reviews our base budget and considers @govCox’s recommended budget for our programs. This is our opportunity to be accountable to your elected representatives in the Legislature. Executive Director Tracy Gruber presented a department overview for the committee, which you can see here: le.utah.gov/av/committeeArch… This week, the committee also heard requests for funding for: • Treatment for substance use disorder and hepatitis C in Utah’s prisons. • Robust, timely overdose fatality data collection by the Office of the Medical Examiner • Support for thriving and healthy communities through Get Healthy Utah and more Also, check out the Symposium on Aging we participated in just before session and how we want to help seniors enjoy as much independence as possible. It’s an honor to serve you. This coming week, legislators will review various sections of our department, starting with Operations on Monday. #utleg

#TodayatDHHS our team is attending the @GovCox symposium on aging. Aging happens to everyone, and as we age, we need to preserve our wealth, independence, security, and engagement. Fortunately, Utah is the best state for aging. But the work is never done. Nels Holmgren (left), director of our Division of Aging and Adult Sevices, will be leading a panel discussion today on independence and aging in place.

🌟 Shining a spotlight on our Summer 2024 DHHS Heart of Excellence Award recipients! ✨ Today we share stories showcasing some of the best public service employees in state government. These individuals have a strong dedication to public service and embody our department values of connection, impact, empathy, innovation, equity, accountability, support, and efficacy. Congratulations to all the winners!