Solutions Utah

Robert Marbut, architect of our national homeless policy, & Gloria Gong, thought leader from Harvard, spoke at the 2026 Solutions Utah Conference on homelessness, self-sufficiency, mental health, and supportive services. SLCPD Chief Brian Redd and State AG Derek Brown also spoke.

National homeless officials are in SLC learning Utah’s successful homeless programs & touring the Gail Miller Human Resource Center. Here for our SU annual Conference, Dr. Robert Marbut, Senior HUD Advisor, and Gloria Gong, at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, will speak.

Thanks to our sponsors, supporters, civic leaders, policymakers, service providers, and guests attending the 2026 Solutions Utah Annual Conference on homelessness. WE ARE SOLD OUT. This forum seeks solutions that help people move from the streets to stability & self-sufficiency.

Utah saw a 1.6% drop in homelessness this year — the first decline in a decade — falling from 4,584 to 4,512. Gov. Spencer Cox credited legislative investment, local partnerships, and service providers. Chronic, sheltered, and unsheltered homelessness also declined.

The Utah Homeless Services Office says 1,021 “high utilizers” in Salt Lake City used $51M in emergency services, jails, and shelters. Half have been homeless 5+ years, some as long as 17. The state is now exploring ways to shift services toward greater self-reliance.

To attend and speak virtually, use this link (pre-registration required): us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regist…

The meeting will be held at the SLC City and County building. 📍451 S State St, 3rd floor

🚨 Reminder: Tonight at 7 pm the Salt Lake City Council will hold an important public hearing on new homeless camping codes which will help those on our streets get more connected to healing services and provide needed public safety provisions for our neighborhoods.

Project Bridge, an initiative ensuring the homeless have shelter space during May and June (when new money kicks in in July) got off to a great start May 1. Congrats to the Office of Homeless Services team and state homeless coordinator @Clancy4Utah for creating the initiative.

During a recent drug bust 70% of the fentanyl pills were found to contain the lethal additive carfentanil — an opioid used to tranquilize elephants. A US District attorney in Utah said prosecutions against fentanyl offenders have steady increased over the last five years.

During 2025, a record two million fentanyl pills were seized in Utah, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Rocky Mountain Division.

Our 2026 award honorees are Carol Hollowell, founder and CEO of Switchpoint, and John Douglas Clapp, founder and leader of the North Temple Community Improvement Alliance in Salt Lake. We hope to see you there!

Keynote speakers for this year’s conference will be Robert Marbut, HUD senior advisor, and Gloria Gong, Executive Director of the Harvard Kennedy School Performance Lab.

Individual tickets ($75/pp) are now on sale for the 2026 Solutions Utah conference and luncheon May 21 at The Grand America Hotel, 555 South Main Street, SLC. Purchase and register here: eventbrite.com/e/solutions-ut…

Additionally, the Institute's walk-in care facility in South Salt Lake on 3300 South reports that 75% of all who visit are immediately connected to resources and able to return to their communities rather then be institutionalized. 🧵3/3

By asking “Why are you suicidal?” instead of “Are you suicidal?” Their services can immediately shift from gatekeeping and record-keeping to life-saving intervention. The Huntsman team says because of this strategy 83% of their 91,779 calls are resolved over the phone. 🧵⬇️

Did you know that by dialing 988 you will be immediately connected to a mental health crisis worker from the Huntsman Mental Health Institute? 🧵⬇️

Gov. Spencer Cox has announced Three Pillars that will steer the state’s homeless philosophy. 1. Accountability for “high utilizers” 2. Expansion of emergency shelter and supportive housing. 3. Expansion of mental and behavioral health capacity.

It’s often said Utah doesn’t have enough behavioral health beds to meet current demands. Yet, state auditors say the system is so complex, it’s nearly impossible to know the precise inventory. Now a statewide bed registry is being proposed. utahnewsdispatch.com/2026/04/16/is-…

Salt Lake City Council is weighing stricter camping rules: banning camping in park strips, sidewalks, and vehicles from 11 p.m.–5 a.m. Some warn it could criminalize homelessness. Others cite growing vehicle camping concerns. How do you see it? ksl.com/article/514833…