History & Organizational Overview:

 

Utah Partners for Health was established in July 2002 by Brian Zehnder, M.D., and community leaders concerned about the growing number of uninsured. The original name was MCFM Foundation.  Kurt Micka joined UPFH as the executive director in January 2003. In April 2003, UPFH received 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service. The first collaborating partner was the Magna Center for Family Medicine, who provided in kind donations to the first patient in June 2003.

 

In 2007, two major programs were added to provide needed access to healthcare:  A mobile clinic that provides access to groups who experience cultural barriers to access in their own neighborhoods, and a prenatal clinic located in West Valley City. The mobile clinic has grown to provide care to thousands of underserved individuals at multiple locations in Salt Lake and Tooele counties. After 5 years of serving prenatal care, the prenatal services ended in June 2013.

 

In 2013, Utah Partners for Health was faced with losing providers who partnered with the mobile clinic.  A new collaboration was established with the Health Clinics of Utah to keep the program running and expanding.  Therefore, we expanded our reach into the Glendale and Rose Park area. 

 

In 2013, with the urging of several community partners, Utah Partners for Health also embarked on a plan to open their own clinic in Midvale, Utah.   Part of the plan included applying for a New Access Point Grant with the Federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  In November of that year, UPFH received the New Access Point Grant and received its first patient at the Mid-Valley Health clinic in November 2013.

 

In 2014, UPFH included the mobile clinic into their scope of practice.  The Mid-Valley Health Clinic opened its doors 5 days a week in February 2014. On November 3, 2014, we added Saturday hours as directed by our Board of Directors and the results of the Needs Assessment. 

 

In June 2014, we added the Utah Partners for Health Mobile Eye Trailer in partnership with Charity Vision and added the service into our scope of services.  The Mobile Eye trailer was expanded to two days a week in November 2015.

 

In December 2015, UPFH purchased a professional office building located at 7651 S. Main Street in Midvale, Utah.  The building would become the future home of the administrative staff, billing department, and the future behavioral health and dental clinics. The 6,886 sq. foot building also housed several tenants.

 

In January 2016, UPFH opened the Utah Partners for Health Behavioral Health Clinic at the Professional Office Building.  The Utah Partners for Health Dental Clinic opened in October 2016 at the same office building. The Dental clinic opened five days a week with a Registered Dental Hygienist and one day a week with a Dentist.  By years end, the Dentist was expanded to two days a week with plans for five days a week in the first quarter 2017. (Opened 5 days a week, March 2017).

 

In March 2017, our Dentist went to full-time in response to the demand.

 

In May 2017, UPFH expanded the Behavioral Health services to 5 days a week.

 

In November 2017, we added a Registered Nurse/Case Manager to assist patients who were diagnosed with mental illness and a co-morbidity physical illness such as Diabetes or Hypertension.

 

In September 2018, UPFH expanded dental care hours to 38 hours per week to meet service demands.

 

In March 2019, UPFH added a new 38 ft Mobile Medical Trailer to replace our older 31ft trailer. This new trailer allowed us to expand services such as contraceptive care and medication assisted treatment for substance use disorders.

 

In July 2019, UPFH saw the 1st Vivitrol patient commencing our MAT Program.

 

In August 2019, UPFH purchased the 7,965 sq foot medical building at 9103 S. 1300 W. West Jordan, Utah.  The purpose was to add a medical clinic to increase provider efficiency and expand our ability to provide access to care for those in need.

 

In September 2019, UPFH opened the UPFH Family Clinic - West Jordan, Utah.  The new medical clinic had five patient rooms and opened Monday to Thursday. 

 

In December 2019, UPFH expanded the Mid-Valley Health clinic to include integrated behavioral health. Behavioral health is now co-located and integrated with our medical team at the Mid-Valley clinic as is RN Case Management and Health Education.

 

In October 2020, Utah Partners for Health announced a new CEO, Ms. Debbie Turner. Mr. Kurt Micka, the former CEO, became the Community Relations Director working part time for 1 year.  Kurt retired 12/31/2021.

 

In January, 2021 UPFH started the first patient on Sublocade which helped eliminate any possible diversion of medication, protected our providers licenses and gave the patient the best possible opportunity for getting off opioids. By December 2021 over 100 patients had come through the MAT Program and there were 42 patients actively involved in our MAT program.

 

On March 31, 2021, Utah Partners for Health took over an additional 3232 square feet and began a remodel integrating that square footage with our existing medical clinic in West Jordan.  We added a provider room, two additional clinic rooms, space for a Pharmacy, integrated Behavioral Health office, a new lab and expanded front desk area.

 

In June 2021, Utah Partners for Health, after receiving American Rescue Plan Act Funding, was able to contract, remodel, and integrate an additional 1285 square feet in the UPFH Family Clinic creating a break room, 3 additional clinic rooms, a referral office, an office for an additional counselor, an admin office and space for in-house optical.

 

In July 2021, UPFH expanded MAT services to Mobile MAT services on site at Orange Street and later expanded to Fortitude.

 

In August 2021, Utah Partners for Health Pharmacy at the UPFH Family Clinic-West Jordan opened to serve patients.

 

In September 2021, Utah Partners for Health added 2 full time patient navigators to assist patients in enrolling and navigating marketplace insurances.  This was done under a 3-year CMS Navigator grant expiring in August 2024.

 

In October 2021, Utah Partners for Health completed construction funded by the American Rescue Plan Act on the UPFH Family Health Clinic – West Jordan.

 

In October 2021, Utah Partners for Health began renovations on the UPFH Dental Clinic on Main Street, Midvale to add 2 Dental Operatories and a staff break-education room funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.

 

In April 2022, Utah Partners for Health added an additional part-time dentist to meet the demand of the needs assessment and waitlist. 

 

In June 2022, the new dentist expanded to full-time and dental hygiene was cut back to part-time.

 

In June 2022, the UPFH Pharmacy had its first breakeven month.

 

In the fall of 2022, UPFH also added two counseling interns and 2 Dental Students to increase access to services for patients.

 

In August 2022, Utah Partners for Health received an updated needs assessment from AUCH and submitted their SAC grant renewal application to HRSA to extend the federal grant of $1,735,435/year for another 3 years.  Approval was granted 12/13/2022.

 

In September 2022, Mobile Vision added a 3rd day/week on location at schools to meet the growing demand for glasses among students in partnership with Granite and Canyons School districts.

​

UPFH receives HHS funding and has Federal Public Health Service (PHS) deemed status with respect to certain health-related claims, including medical malpractice claims, for itself and its covered individuals. For more information, see Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) website.