Executive Director’s Message
Palmer DePaulis, Executive Director
Welcome! Thank you for visiting the Utah Department of Human Services website. I would like to say how proud I am to be associated with the Department of Human Services. I am greatly impressed with the high quality of the work and am very proud of the committed, talented people who work in this Department and perform some of the most thankless tasks in society.
Let me share with you a little about the Department. Did you know that Utah's child welfare program has been used as a model in more than twelve states in the last year, not just our surrounding western states? Did you know that Utah's Adult Protective Services system has been used to provide model statutory language in several other states? Did you know that the juvenile justice system in Hawaii has sent youth offenders to Utah temporarily, and we did such an outstanding job that the Governor of Hawaii came here and toured our facility? Did you know that our Office of Licensing has been the leader in developing licensing rules for Wilderness Youth Therapy Programs? There is a great deal to be proud of in Utah's Human Services.
You may not be aware that a day in a Human Services office may consist of:
- reunifying a mother and her child
- finding respite care for the sister of a disabled adult
- watching a teenager return and graduate from high school after getting the right mix of mental health treatment
- attending a drug court to see someone's life being turned around. It is the sheer breadth and depth of our reach into people's lives that regularly reminds us of the critical responsibility we have to children and families at risk, vulnerable adults and elderly and to the general citizens of Utah. The tremendous potential of good we can do is matched by the potential that there will be a tragedy.
Please take the time to navigate through the Department's website, which includes specific information from the individual divisions and offices providing services to the individuals and families we are entrusted to serve. A couple of highlights include a link to the Hot Tips which with one click provides information regarding all of the Department services, including contact information; and the Just for Youth, which is a comprehensive information site designed by and for youth. There is a special section for youth in state custody and for foster parents as well.