Utah Lacks Data on Behavioral Health Bed Needs, Audit Finds

State officials acknowledge shortage, but struggle to quantify specific gaps in services

Apr. 16, 2026 at 11:34pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A ghostly, translucent X-ray image of a hospital bed frame, revealing its intricate internal structure in shades of grey against a dark background, conceptually representing the hidden complexities of Utah's behavioral health system.An X-ray view of the hidden infrastructure behind Utah's behavioral health system exposes the need for greater transparency and coordination.Washington Today

A legislative audit found that Utah lacks comprehensive data on the availability and demand for behavioral health beds across the state, making it difficult for policymakers to address potential shortages. The audit recommended creating a statewide bed registry and designating a central authority to better coordinate the system.

Why it matters

Adequate access to behavioral health services is a critical issue for Utah, where mental health and substance abuse challenges are prevalent. Without clear data on bed capacity and utilization, the state struggles to direct resources to the areas of greatest need and ensure patients can access the appropriate level of care.

The details

The audit found that no single entity is responsible for collecting data on behavioral health bed availability from the state's 600 different facilities. As a result, auditors could only gather partial information, which showed wide regional disparities, with Salt Lake County having the majority of the state's beds. State officials acknowledged the 'word on the street' is that there are not enough beds, but said it's difficult to quantify the specific gaps in services and levels of care that are most needed.

  • The legislative audit was released on April 16, 2026.
  • The Legislative Management Committee voted to refer the audit to the Health and Human Services interim committee for further review.

The players

Madison Hoover

An audit supervisor with the Office of the Legislative Auditor General who led the behavioral health bed capacity audit.

Leah Blevins

An audit manager who worked on the behavioral health bed capacity audit.

Tonya Hales

The deputy director of the Utah Department of Health and Human Services's health care administration, who said the DHHS could serve as a central authority over behavioral health.

Eric Tadehara

The director of DHHS's office of Substance Use and Mental Health, who said it's challenging to quantify the specific types of behavioral health beds that are needed.

Mike Schultz

The Republican Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives, who expressed support for creating a statewide bed registry.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Unfortunately, we found that no one could actually answer that question.”

— Madison Hoover, Audit Supervisor

“This lack of information is really important, because behavioral health beds are the mechanism that allow patients to move through the system. And when patients can't access the appropriate level of care — whether that's in a residential treatment facility like First Step House or an acute care wing of an Intermountain hospital — congestion builds, and those ripple effects are really seen across the continuum.”

— Madison Hoover, Audit Supervisor

“The word on the street is there's not enough beds, and we're not questioning that. But we don't have the data to back that up. So if the Legislature is deciding whether to spend more money on beds, it's very difficult for policymakers to make those decisions based on the lacking information that we have.”

— Leah Blevins, Audit Manager

“From a general perspective, I think we know that we are short on beds. I think the level of bed is going to be where it's hard to quantify.”

— Eric Tadehara, Director of DHHS Office of Substance Use and Mental Health

“Having a system in place for the Legislature to look at and work collaboratively with your agency to determine what that looks like going into the future would be very beneficial.”

— Mike Schultz, Utah House Speaker

What’s next

The Legislative Management Committee voted to refer the audit to the Health and Human Services interim committee for further review and consideration.

The takeaway

Utah lacks comprehensive data on the availability and demand for behavioral health beds across the state, making it difficult for policymakers to address potential shortages and ensure patients can access the appropriate level of care. Establishing a statewide bed registry and designating a central authority to coordinate the system are critical first steps to improving visibility and directing resources to the areas of greatest need.