FY 2016 Appropriation

The four main goals of the Utah Public Health Laboratory are to: 1) produce accurate and timely testing in a wide range of public health disciplines, 2) provide expert scientific consultation, 3) collaborate with our partners to improve public health outcomes, and 4) deliver education and training to advance public health laboratory science.

Funding History
Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $700 from all sources for Public Health Laboratory. This is a 0 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources.

Percentage of In-house Tuberculosis Test Results Reported Within 35 Days

Percentage of In-house Tuberculosis Test Results Reported Within 35 Days

Infectious Diseases Program

The Chemical and Environmental Services Laboratory provides testing of water, soil, and air for toxic contaminants to enable our partners to monitor the environment for compliance with health and safety standards, and to respond to emergencies such as chemical spills and contaminated drinking water. The testing and results, requested primarily by the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Natural Resources, assist those departments in assessing the safety of the environment. The Bureau also serves private agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency certifies the State laboratory as the principal laboratory for water testing.

The infectious diseases program provides laboratory testing and consultation services for local health departments; hospitals, clinical, laboratories, and physicians throughout Utah; the Utah. The areas of support include: sexually-transmitted diseases (HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea), agents of bioterrorism surveillance, respiratory virus surveillance and subtyping, arbovirus surveillance, virology, rabies testing, bacteriology, mycobacteriology, as well as communicable disease outbreak support, i.e. - influenza, tuberculosis, and food borne diseases.

Newborn Screening Laboratory

The Newborn Screening Program, together with partner laboratories, screens all newborns in Utah for 38 conditions. This program is funded entirely through dedicated credit revenue from the pre-sale of blood-spot collection kits.

Laboratory Operations

The laboratory operations support services provide specimen handling, client services, and data entry. It includes purchasing, a central supply and distribution center, sterilization, collection kit preparation, physical plant operations, and employee support.

Chemical and Environmental Services Laboratory

The Chemical and Environmental Services Laboratory provides testing of water, soil, and air for toxic contaminants to enable our partners to monitor the environment for compliance with health and safety standards, and to respond to emergencies such as chemical spills and contaminated drinking water. The testing and results, requested primarily by the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Natural Resources, assist those departments in assessing the safety of the environment. The Bureau also serves private agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency certifies the State laboratory as the principal laboratory for water testing.

The laboratory program also tests for chemical agents in clinical samples in response to chemical terrorism incidents as a result of federal funding from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the Public Health and Preparedness Program. The laboratory tests and analyzes heavy metals, cyanide, volatile organic chemicals, tetramine, and other toxic chemicals in samples to determine exposure of these chemicals to humans.

Forensic Toxicology Laboratory

The Forensic Toxicology Laboratory provides drug and alcohol analysis for law enforcement agencies to determine driving under the influence violations, including automobile homicides, sexual assaults, and other crimes. In addition, the Bureau provides testing for drug, alcohol, and other poisons in autopsy specimens to assist the Office of the Medical Examiner in determining the cause of death. Additionally, Bureau staff provide expert witness testimony on alcohol and drug impairment in courts statewide.

Certification Programs

The mission of the Environmental Certification Program and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments Certification Programs is to improve the quality of test results produced in clinical and environmental laboratories through consultation, training, and certification. These two programs establish and enforce standards for laboratories performing tests that impact public health. The programs inspect and certify all clinical laboratories in Utah. They also inspect and certify all environmental laboratories that submit laboratory data to the Utah Department of Environmental Quality.

Intent Language

HB0003: Item 77

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that up to $500,000 of Item 22 of Chapter 13, Laws of Utah 2014, for the Department of Health's Disease Control and Prevention line item for alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention reduction, cessation, and control programs shall not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2015. The use of any nonlapsing funds is limited to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention, reduction, cessation, and control programs or for emergent disease control and prevention needs.


HB0003: Item 77

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that up to $525,000 of Item 22 of Chapter 13, Laws of Utah 2014 for the Department of Health's Disease Control and Prevention line item shall not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2015. The use of any nonlapsing funds is limited to laboratory equipment, computer equipment, software, and building improvements.


HB0003: Item 77

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that up to $175,000 of Item 22 of Chapter 13, Laws of Utah 2014 for the Department of Health's Disease Control and Prevention line item shall not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2015. The use of any nonlapsing funds is limited to maintenance or replacement of computer equipment, software, or other purchases or services that improve or expand the services provided by the Bureau of Epidemiology.


HB0003: Item 77

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that up to $250,000 of Item 21 of Chapter 13, Laws of Utah 2014 fees collected for the Newborn Screening Program shall not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2015. The use of any nonlapsing funds is limited to maintenance, upgrading, replacement, or purchase of laboratory or computer equipment and software.


SB0003: Item 116

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code the Legislature intends that up to $75,000 funds of Item 22 of Chapter 13, Laws of Utah 2014, not otherwise designated as nonlapsing to the Department of Health - Disease Control and Prevention line item shall not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2015. The use of any nonlapsing funds is for services to people with traumatic brain injury.


SB0007S01: Item 2

The Legislature intends that the Department of Health report on the following performance measures for the Disease Control and Prevention line item: (1) Gonorrhea cases per 100,000 population (Target = 18.9 people or less), (2) Percentage of Adults Who Are Current Smokers (Target = 9%), and (3) Percentage of Toxicology Cases Completed within 14 day Goal (Target = 100%) by January 1, 2016 to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee.


SB0007S01: Item 2

The Legislature intends that the Department of Health research and report government entities paying for services that could be provided by the State Laboratory and give this information to the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst by September 1, 2015. The report shall include: (1) the name of the government entity, (2) amount paid for the service, (3) what the cost would be if the service was provided by the State Laboratory, and (4) any potential barriers to the State Laboratory for bidding on those services. The Department of Health shall also detail its assumptions for its costs on all laboratory services that government entities are purchasing in the private sector.


SB0007S01: Item 12

The Legislature intends that the Department of Health report on the following performance measures for the Disease Control and Prevention line item: (1) Gonorrhea cases per 100,000 population (Target = 18.9 people or less), (2) Percentage of Adults Who Are Current Smokers (Target = 9%), and (3) Percentage of Toxicology Cases Completed within 14 day Goal (Target = 100%) by January 1, 2016 to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee.


SB0007S01: Item 12

The Legislature intends that the Department of Health research and report government entities paying for services that could be provided by the State Laboratory and give this information to the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst by September 1, 2015. The report shall include: (1) the name of the government entity, (2) amount paid for the service, (3) what the cost would be if the service was provided by the State Laboratory, and (4) any potential barriers to the State Laboratory for bidding on those services. The Department of Health shall also detail its assumptions for its costs on all laboratory services that government entities are purchasing in the private sector.


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COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.