Substance Abuse

Rethinking Rehabilitation: Improving Outcomes for Drug-Addicted Offenders in Utah

Written by: Sam Brucker

Drug Treatment Programs for criminal offenders can provide significant cost savings to the criminal justice system and reduce recidivism rates. Treatment programs have also been shown to reduce overdose deaths after release from prison. One recent federal study found a five-fold return to the public on investments in drug rehabilitation programs for offenders. However, treatment programs vary widely in intensity and approach. In Rethinking Rehabilitation, Utah Foundation explains efforts to address addiction within the context of the justice system … Continued

Getting to Tomorrow: Addressing Suicide in Utah and the Mountain States

Written by: Sam Brucker

Since the turn of the millennium, suicide has been on the rise nationally. However, suicide rates differ significantly from state to state. And from a regional perspective, some of the highest rates are in the Mountain States, a grouping that includes Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada and Wyoming. Of these states, all except Arizona were among the top 10 states for suicide mortality in 2016. Each suicide has significant ripple effects. A … Continued

United Way of Salt Lake Priority Area and Capacity Assessment

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

The purpose of this assessment is to prioritize the specific needs, objectives, and strategies on which UWSL will focus its community impact work. UWSL contracted with Utah Foundation to conduct this assessment, which is a year-long project involving focus groups, surveys, data collection, research, and analysis. During the first stage of the assessment, Utah Foundation held focus groups with UWSL’s Change Councils, main funders, and staff to determine and gain consensus about what the vision … Continued