Utah State Hospital needs 'significant' increase in beds, lawmakers told

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah State Hospital needs dozens of new beds over the next few years to meet growing demand, administrators told lawmakers during a hearing at the Capitol.

The hospital in Provo, which first opened in 1885 and serves those with severe mental illnesses, currently has 378 beds, mostly for adults. But hospital leaders said they need many more – starting with up to 30 more beds in 2028.

"Based on projections that account for Utah's continued population growth, the hospital will need a significant increase in adult beds to meet future demand," Dallas Earnshaw, Utah State Hospital superintendent, wrote in a report to the Legislature.

It's not just population growth. There has also been a huge increase in patients charged with crimes who are referred by the courts, which has helped fill up the beds on campus, according to Jeremy Christensen, the hospital's assistant superintendent.

"Those beds are almost always completely full for a while now," Christensen told the Health and Human Services Interim Committee on Wednesday. "We've had brief periods of reprieve during the pandemic and a little bit last year where we had some changes in referrals, but currently they're all full again."

Several lawmakers on the committee acknowledged the problem and the need to meet the demand. Ultimately, it's up to the Legislature to decide what to fund when it comes to expanding the state hospital.

"Those beds are needed," said Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, noting Utah's population growth and the important role the state hospital plays. "We need to make sure the beds are available, and we're failing there."

Earnshaw, the hospital superintendent, urged lawmakers in his report to immediately consider a proposal for a 30-60 bed unit, which is designed to meet some of the impending need over the next decade.

Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, noted that an existing facility on the hospital's campus is currently used for inpatient treatment, but it could be converted into a 30-bed unit at a lower cost than building a brand-new one.

"We could build a treatment model for significantly less than inpatient space," Eliason said. "Those beds, they're not just 'shovel ready' as the old saying goes. I guess they're 'bed ready.'"

In his report, Earnshaw also said he's concerned about staff pay levels. While doctors and psychologists at the hospital are paid well, he said, others, including nurses and security officers, are paid below-market wages.

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