University of Utah Health launched its 2026–2029 Community Health Improvement Strategy earlier this year. The three-year road map was developed following the December 2025 publication of a Community Health Needs Assessment, which gathered input from thousands of residents through community meetings and surveys across 27 Utah counties.
Core strategy priorities and goals
The strategy focuses on three core priorities: broadening healthcare access, addressing social determinants of health, and improving behavioral health. The plan includes nine concrete goals such as standardizing patient forms for better accessibility, creating a community resource database, and launching a Community Health Worker program to connect underserved patients with medical care.
Behavioral health and social initiatives
To improve behavioral health, the organization plans to map regional resources to minimize service gaps and distribute a multilingual Know Where to Go toolkit. Regarding social determinants of health, the strategy aims to enhance screening for needs like food, housing, and transportation while establishing a uniform referral process.
Collaborative development and planning process
The development of this implementation strategy involved surveying faculty, staff, and clinicians, as well as meeting with public health departments in six focus counties. The plan incorporates input from nearly 40 existing University of Utah Health initiatives.
Leadership commitment to community needs
Bob Carter, MD, PhD, executive vice president for health sciences and CEO of University of Utah Health, stated that the strategy reflects a commitment to working alongside communities to address challenges impacting well-being. RyLee Curtis, MPP, senior director of community collaborations, noted that the priorities were identified by thousands of Utahns who shared their community needs.
Tracking progress and future reporting
University of Utah Health intends to track progress transparently using specific metrics and will report findings publicly throughout the three-year cycle. The initiative utilizes the Impact Partnership Model to facilitate coordination between local health district leaders and University of Utah Health Hospitals and Clinics.
