Utah health department to lay off nearly 40 people after ‘unexpected’ federal cuts

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is laying off 37 employees after receiving an “unexpected notification” that the federal health department was immediately reducing funding.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notified Utah’s department of a reduction in federal funding on Monday, March 24, according to DHHS. Today, 37 employees were told their positions will end on April 11.

DHHS also notified external health and mental health programs that were receiving funding from the grants about the reductions.

DHHS said the federal department is immediately ending six COVID-related grants that were planned to last through 2026. Officials said there was approximately $98 million remaining in the grants, which would have been used to fund “public health functions and behavioral health services.”

“We are sorry to see these positions end early,” DHHS Director Tracy Gruber said. “We consider them all public health heroes, many of whom joined our department when we needed to ramp up operations to keep Utahns safe during the global pandemic. These staff came in to serve the public at an incredibly difficult time.”

DHHS said it will be providing resources to help the employees whose positions were cut, adding that they are welcome to apply to other jobs within the department where possible. It said it hopes to “retain the talent that has been showing up for this department since the pandemic.”

The layoffs come as the U.S. health department plans to lay off 10,000 workers from its federal agencies and shut down several others, including agencies that provide funding to addiction services and community health centers nationwide, according to the Associated Press.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the restructuring on Thursday, saying the department’s 82,000 workers contributed to a decline in Americans’ health.

“Public health has faced many challenges, and will undoubtedly face new challenges moving forward,” the DHHS press release read. “We will continue to work with our dedicated, passionate, and incredibly talented partners at the state and local levels, community-based organizations, healthcare system, and legislative leadership to protect the public’s health.”