Utah’s Latest Facility for the Homeless: A Step Towards Long-Term Care

On July 24, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at addressing homelessness by moving individuals living in encampments into treatment facilities offering mental health and substance use services [1]. This initiative has prompted varied responses and Utah is emerging as a key state in its implementation. This article analyzes the executive order and its unfolding impact in Utah, drawing on insights from experts and personal experience.

A National Unmet Necessitate

A significant challenge in psychiatric care is the lack of adequate support for vulnerable individuals experiencing mental illness and homelessness. Many cycle through brief hospitalizations and interactions with law enforcement, often without receiving the long-term care they desperately need. This “revolving door” phenomenon leaves individuals vulnerable and perpetuates a cycle of instability. State hospitals are frequently overcrowded with forensic patients, leaving limited space for those with severe mental illness who have not committed crimes, resulting in lengthy waits for available beds.

The Promise of a New Utah Facility

The new facility being developed in Utah aims to address this critical gap in care. It seeks to end the “treat and street” approach, where individuals are discharged from hospitals without adequate support, and the revolving door of short-term interventions. The goal is to provide structured, long-term care for those who require it.

Personal Perspective: A Journey Through Schizophrenia and Homelessness

The importance of this initiative is deeply personal. In 1999, I moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California on a Presidential Scholarship, studying biochemistry and molecular biology. However, I was soon diagnosed with schizophrenia, which led me to drop out of school and experience four years of homelessness in the Los Angeles area. For over a year, I lived on the streets, scavenging for food and sleeping in buildings where I wasn’t permitted. After a brief incarceration related to my untreated illness, a hospitalization in March 2007 proved life-saving.

While I initially resisted hospitalization, the mandated treatment I received enabled me to return to school and build a fulfilling life. Reflecting on this experience, I often wonder why I was allowed to remain on the streets for so long. Had a facility like the one being built in Utah existed in Los Angeles at that time, I believe I would have received the help I needed sooner.

Tiered Care for Diverse Needs

Devon Kurtz of the Cicero Institute advocates for a tiered system of care within the Utah facility to address the varied needs of individuals experiencing homelessness and mental illness [2]. This includes:

• Recovery Care: Supplementing the state hospital for individuals needing intensive psychiatric care.
• Residential Substance Abuse Care: Providing 18- to 24-month programs, often addressing co-occurring mental illness.
• Long-Term Out-of-Hospital Care: Offering inpatient care with increased freedom or assisted outpatient care in the community.
• Transitional Support: Assisting individuals who are recovering with housing, volunteering opportunities, and employment.

The facility’s design recognizes that a sustainable recovery system requires multiple levels of care, acknowledging that individuals have unique needs and timelines for recovery. A facility designed for short-term stays requires less capacity than one offering long-term or indefinite care.

Looking Ahead

Over the next two years, it will be crucial to monitor the implementation of this facility in Utah, ensuring that it delivers on its commitments to provide high-quality, comprehensive care, including both short-term and long-term options. The hope is that this facility will serve as a model for addressing homelessness and mental illness, offering a path towards recovery and a more hopeful future for vulnerable individuals.