UtahH.B. 72026 General SessionHouse

Social Services Base Budget

Sponsored By: Raymond P. Ward (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Public Funds and AccountsPublic BudgetingHealth and Human ServicesHealth CareHealth Care FacilitiesDivision of Child and Family ServicesLegislative OperationsGovernment Operations (State Issues)Income TaxRevenue and TaxationDepartment of Health and Human ServicesAppropriationsAging and Adult ServicesJuvenile Justice ServicesOffice of Licensing and Background ChecksPublic HealthServices for People with DisabilitiesSubstance Abuse and Mental HealthUtah State Developmental CenterUtah State Hospital

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

28 provisions identified: 17 benefits, 2 costs, 9 mixed.

Utah funds Medicaid and health coverage

For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, Utah funds Medicaid, expansion coverage, children's health insurance, and Medicare-related payments. Integrated Health Care Services receives $807.20 million from the General Fund and $4.48 billion in federal money, plus other sources. This budget also supports behavioral health treatment, crisis response, and the State Hospital. The law authorizes $93.50 million for the Medicaid ACA Fund and transfers $10 million into a Medicaid budget stabilization account. These funding provisions do not set new household eligibility rules or benefit amounts.

Utah funds child support collection services

Beginning July 1, 2026, Utah authorizes $212.84 million in trust and agency funds for support collections. It also adds $58.66 million for Office of Recovery Services programs in the year ending June 30, 2027. Allocations include $27.02 million for child support services, $20.30 million for recovery services, and $6.70 million for legal work. Children-in-care collections receive $749,300, and medical collections receive $3.89 million. The law does not establish new family payments or specify changes to support obligations or amounts collected.

Utah funds aging and disability supports

For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, Utah funds aging, disability, and long-term care services. Allocations include $594.31 million for Community Supports Waiver Services, $68.12 million for other disability waivers, and $66.05 million for the State Developmental Center. The law also transfers $1 million into the adult autism treatment account and provides $78,600 for homebound transportation. At the developmental center, it provides $140,000 for the workshop fund and $12,000 for the donation fund. These provisions do not set individual eligibility, treatment limits, transportation amounts, or household payments.

Utah funds child and family services

For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, Utah funds child protection, family support, and maternal and child health. Allocations include $123.77 million for Child and Family Services, $15.95 million for domestic violence services, and $25.60 million for adoption assistance. The budget also supports in-home services, out-of-home care, child abuse prevention, and related programs. This funding does not set new household eligibility rules or payment amounts.

Utah funds Medicaid administration and systems

For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, Utah funds the systems that run Medicaid and related services. The budget provides $68.65 million for Integrated Health Care Administration and $25.60 million for the Medicaid payment information system. It also provides $147.73 million for Seeded Services and $9.19 million for substance use and mental health administration. This agency funding does not itself change Medicaid eligibility or individual benefits.

Utah funds public health and laboratories

For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, Utah adds $144.29 million for public health programs. This includes $81.03 million for contracts and funds passed to other organizations. The budget supports disease control, prevention, emergency readiness, and health tracking. It also allocates $26.50 million to the Public Health Laboratory, $1.50 million to medical residency grants, and $550,000 to forensic psychiatry grants. These are program funds, not direct household payments.

Utah funds client and patient trusts

Beginning July 1, 2026, Utah authorizes $4.92 million for the Human Services Client Trust Fund. It also authorizes $2 million for the State Developmental Center Patient Account and $1.73 million for the State Hospital Patient Trust Fund. The money comes from trust and agency funds, with interest income for some accounts. These authorizations do not establish new payments or change the amount held for any individual.

Utah funds health agency operations

For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, Utah funds health agency operations and oversight. It adds $31.88 million across executive leadership, support services, finance, and data systems. Another operations allocation includes $7.06 million in General Fund money and $3.12 million in federal funds for outreach and related work. Oversight allocations include $19.33 million for licensing and background checks, $2.26 million for audits, and $1.36 million for hearings. The budget also supports quality improvement, customer experience, and the Developmental Disabilities Council; it does not establish household payments.

Utah funds juvenile justice and youth

For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, Utah funds juvenile justice and youth programs. The schedule allocates $25.64 million to Juvenile Justice and Youth Services, $26.56 million to Secure Care, and $37.61 million to Youth Services. It also funds community programs. These allocations do not establish direct household payments or new benefit eligibility rules.

Utah funds medical examiner services

For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, Utah funds Clinical Services and Medical Examiner operations. Listed sources include $8.77 million from the General Fund, $357,700 in federal funds, and $2.19 million in dedicated revenue. The budget allocates $12.15 million to the Medical Examiner. This funds agency operations rather than a direct household payment.

Utah funds health care in corrections

For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, Utah provides $54.23 million for Correctional Health Services. This includes $51.90 million from the General Fund and $650,000 in dedicated revenue, along with other adjustments. The money funds health services in correctional facilities. It does not create a direct payment for the general public.

Utah funds mental health crisis services

Beginning July 1, 2026, Utah transfers $37.88 million into its statewide behavioral health crisis response account. For the year ending June 30, 2027, it also provides $100,000 to the Mental Health Services Donation Fund. The State Hospital Unit Fund receives $50,400. These allocations support services but do not set individual eligibility, service amounts, or direct payments.

Utah funds organ donation activities

For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, Utah provides $237,600 to the Allyson Gamble Organ Donation Contribution Fund. The money comes from dedicated revenue, interest, and the fund balance. It supports organ donation activities without creating household payments or changing benefit eligibility.

Utah funds qualified patient account

Beginning July 1, 2026, Utah authorizes $5.24 million for the Qualified Patient Enterprise Fund. The money comes from dedicated revenue, interest, and the fund balance. This funds the account rather than making direct household payments. The provision does not explain who qualifies for services or set individual benefit amounts.

Utah funds alternative eligibility account

Beginning July 1, 2026, Utah transfers $4.50 million from the General Fund to the Alternative Eligibility Account. The provision does not identify which programs or people the account covers. It does not establish a household eligibility change or benefit amount.

Existing funds support rural dementia care

Utah’s health and human services agency must use an existing, one-time $200,000 for dementia care in rural areas. The money comes from Laws of Utah 2025, Chapter 539, Item 396. This direction overrides conflicting instructions in that earlier law. It supports rural dementia care and caregivers, but does not create a new individual payment.

Grants fund substance use recovery services

For fiscal year 2026, Utah’s health and human services agency provides $150,000 to Fit to Recover. It also provides $100,000 to the School of Addiction Recovery. These grants fund services for people recovering from substance use disorders. They do not create a set cash payment to individuals.

Utah cuts correctional health funding

For July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, Utah reduces Correctional Health Services funding by $1.53 million. The change lowers agency resources for health care in correctional facilities. It does not specify an individual payment, coverage rule, or personal duty.

Access fees for immunization database buyers

For fiscal year 2026, the law authorizes Utah’s health and human services agency to charge for immunization database access. Fees are $10,000 for up to 100,000 records and $15,000 for 100,001–200,000 records. Unlimited records cost $20,000, or $150,000 with customizations. These fees apply to database access buyers, not to households getting immunizations.

Utah shifts operations and oversight funding

For July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, Utah adds a net $1.61 million for health agency operations. Executive leadership gains $1.27 million and support services gain $669,000, while finance and administration loses $1.79 million. Department Oversight loses a net $1 million. Within oversight, licensing and background checks lose $876,600 and audits lose $157,100, while hearings gain $59,300. These changes fund agency work, not new household payments or duties.

Utah trims support collection agency funding

For July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, Utah cuts Office of Recovery Services funding by $1.05 million. The schedule changes recovery services, child support services, collections, and legal funding. Children in Care Collections gains $13,000 despite the overall reduction. This agency adjustment does not itself change a household's child support obligation or collection amount.

Youth funding falls; secure care gains

For July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, Utah cuts juvenile justice and youth funding by a net $2.25 million. Juvenile Justice and Youth Services and Community Programs lose funding. Secure Care gains $2.41 million, and Youth Services gains $442,300. The changes affect program resources, not stated household payments or individual duties.

Clinical funding falls; rural care gains

For July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, Utah cuts Clinical Services funding by a net $10.75 million. The State Laboratory loses $10.31 million. Primary Care and Rural Health gains $2.81 million, and the Medical Examiner gains $99,900. Other clinical programs also change, but the law does not specify household payment or eligibility changes.

Family services lose funding; adoption gains

For July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, Utah cuts Children, Youth, and Families funding by a net $6.30 million. Child and Family Services loses $6.25 million, and domestic violence services lose $2.91 million. Adoption assistance gains $2.35 million, alongside adjustments to child abuse prevention and maternal and child health. The law does not state a household payment or eligibility change.

Public health cuts but preparedness gains

For July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, Utah cuts public health funding by a net $36.10 million. Communicable disease work loses $5.61 million, and contracts and pass-through funding lose $22.80 million. Preparedness and Response gains $12.29 million, alongside changes to other public health programs. The law does not set household payments or eligibility rules.

Utah cuts and shifts health funding

For July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, Utah reduces Integrated Health Care Services funding by a net $50.21 million. Children's health insurance services lose $11.25 million, and Medicaid Other Services loses $106.61 million. Medicaid accountable care organizations gain $70.27 million. The law also adjusts expansion coverage, Medicare-related payments, behavioral health, and crisis funding. These budget changes do not specify new household eligibility rules or benefit amounts.

Utah shifts and adds long-term funding

For July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, Utah adds a net $17.21 million for long-term support programs. The State Developmental Center gains $11.57 million, and Community Supports Waiver Services gains $6.18 million. Some other programs in the schedule lose funding. The law does not specify an individual benefit amount.

Utah shifts Medicaid administration funding

For July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, Utah reduces Health Care Administration funding by a net $16,900. Integrated Health Care Administration loses $7.37 million. The Medicaid provider payment information system gains $5.94 million, alongside changes to related programs. This shifts agency resources without specifying a change to anyone's Medicaid eligibility or payments.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Raymond P. Ward
Republican • House

Cosponsors

Keven J. Stratton
Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 99 • No: 0

Senate vote • 1/29/2026

Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension

Yes: 26 • No: 0

House vote • 1/28/2026

House/ uncircled

Yes: 0 • No: 0