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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that it will lay off several employees due to the unexpected termination of several federal grants. According to Friday's press release, DHHS received an "unexpected notification" from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Monday that some COVID-related grants were ending immediately. "Across our department, a total of six grants were impacted. These grants had about $98 million remaining before the end of the grant period, which was supposed to have been the end of 2026," the DHHS said. According to DHHS, the grants funded public health functions and behavioral health services. DHHS said it has 187 staff positions that are partially or completely funded by the withdrawn funds. The funded positions were focused on carrying out the department's public health functions, and several of the positions were temporary. "Unfortunately, we had to announce today an early reduction of 37 staff in positions funded by these specific COVID-related grants. These staff positions will end April 11," DHHS said. According to DHHS, its external partners in local and mental health that were receiving funding from the ended grants also had their contracts terminated. "We are sorry to see these positions end early,” Tracy Gruber, director of Utah’s Department of Health and Human Services. “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 provide resources to staff affected by the layoffs to find work within the department if the staff are qualified and interested. "Public health has faced many challenges, and will undoubtedly face new challenges moving forward. 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," the department said. The DHHS announcement comes on the same day the U.S. HHS announced its layoff of 10,000 workers. HHS also shuttered several agencies that oversee funding for addiction services and community health centers nationwide.
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