Voices: Amid significant threats, Utah needs to prioritize public health funding, evidence-based programs and the workforce that protects us all

Note to Readers • This is part of a series of forward-looking predictions for 2026. Read more.

As Utah looks toward 2026, the state’s public health system stands at a pivotal moment. New priorities and opportunities are emerging, even as growing pressures threaten to limit public health’s capacity. The choices made now will shape the health and wellbeing of Utahns for years to come.

When people think of public health, the COVID-19 pandemic or current measles outbreak often come to mind. While these crises are significant and high-profile, it is important to understand that public health is far broader than only addressing infectious disease. It also includes mitigating chronic illness, ensuring food and water safety, tracking health trends and environmental changes, and helping communities respond to emerging threats.

So while Utah’s public health professionals are closely watching disease outbreaks, they are also watching a handful of priorities that are likely to take center stage in 2026. These areas of focus include environmental health, promoting healthy lifestyles and supporting rural communities.

Environmental health is one of the clearest examples. As the Great Salt Lake shrinks, the risk of dust pollution increases, threatening air quality across the Wasatch Front and surrounding communities. Poor air quality is linked to a myriad of health problems, including higher rates of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, childhood asthma and negative impacts on mental health. These risks cannot be addressed in a health care setting alone; they require public health expertise focused on prevention, monitoring and community-level protection. After such a dry winter, safeguarding Utahns from these environmental threats is likely to be a defining public health challenge in 2026.

Utah is also increasing its focus on promoting healthy lifestyles, particularly healthy eating and physical activity. A key part of this work involves strengthening food systems and expanding access to fresh, whole foods. Across the state, public health is partnering with schools, local governments and community organizations to support initiatives such as school gardens, farmers’ markets and nutrition education. Alongside this focus on nutrition, public health continues to prioritize physical activity as a cornerstone of long-term health. As Utah continues investing in an interconnected Utah Trail Network and demand for safe outdoor access grows, public health will play a role through community planning, injury prevention and efforts that promote equitable use of these spaces.

Rural health will also be a top focus for public health this year, driven in large part by new funding from the federal Rural Health Transformation Program. The state will receive more than $195 million in 2026 as part of this $50 billion national initiative to modernize rural healthcare. These resources are allocated to improve access, strengthen the workforce and expand technology in historically underserved areas. For public health professionals, this investment creates an opportunity to develop programs, build partnerships and enhance local infrastructure, making rural communities a key area of attention in the year ahead. This will be especially important, as reductions to Medicaid are anticipated to place immense pressure on rural health systems and their patients.

At the same time, these opportunities are unfolding against a challenging backdrop. Public health is entering 2026 facing two significant threats: sustained funding cuts and an erosion of public trust.

Temporary funding from the COVID-19 pandemic has ended just as federal and state governments tighten their budgets, placing public health in a period of significant financial contraction. In Utah, this has already resulted in the loss of long-standing programs such as SNAP-Ed nutrition education, along with reductions in staff who support disease tracking, community outreach and prevention efforts. Dozens of positions across local and state health departments have been eliminated, leaving remaining staff stretched thin. If this trend continues, further program and workforce reductions are likely in 2026, weakening the foundation that keeps communities healthy.

Eroding trust presents an additional challenge. Recently, many Utahns have been left uncertain about where to turn for reliable health information, as public health has become increasingly entangled with politics. Immunizations offer a clear example of the consequences. Even small declines in vaccination rates have allowed highly contagious diseases like measles to spread and enter Utah. When residents question even basic guidance on nutrition, exercise or environmental hazards, even routine public health initiatives become harder to implement and preventable conditions worsen. Without restored trust, the effectiveness and impact of public health programs will continue to decline.

In 2026, public health is neither retreating nor standing still. It is adapting to a challenging landscape while continuing work that directly affects the lives of Utahns. From preventing infectious disease and reducing environmental risks to supporting healthy living and strengthening rural communities, public health remains focused on what matters most.

Protecting this progress will require commitment from policymakers, partners and communities alike, especially as budget decisions for 2026 take shape. In the year ahead, Utahns should expect leaders to prioritize public health funding, support evidence-based programs and resist further erosion of the workforce that protects our health.

Caitlyn Jasumback, MSPH, is the immunization advocacy coordinator at the Utah Public Health Association. She has more than a decade of experience in public health, working in infectious and chronic disease prevention and management, substance use, and immunization programs.

Morgan Hadden, MPH, MBA, is the executive director of the Utah Public Health Association. She has broad experience in public health leadership and partnership-building, with a focus on strengthening public health practice and systems in Utah.

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