Happy Friday from #OneUtah, a weekly update from the office of Gov. Spencer J. Cox. Here’s your recap of what we did this week, what's on the horizon, and more.

Talking about the negative effects of social media

Earlier this week we had the opportunity to talk with parents and teachers at Bonneville Junior High about the harms social media is having on our children and teens. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, social media is negatively affecting teens by distracting them, disrupting their sleep, and exposing them to bullying, rumor spreading, unrealistic views of other people's lives and peer pressure. A 2016 study of more than 450 teens found that greater social media use, nighttime social media use and emotional investment in social media, such as feeling upset when prevented from logging on, were each linked with worse sleep quality and higher levels of anxiety and depression. 

As a result, we’re exploring a number of policies including making classrooms phone free zones for our students and holding social media companies more accountable by requiring parental controls and parental consent for accounts for minors.

As adults, parents and teachers, it is our responsibility to look out for our children and protect them from the harm social media poses. 

Let’s turn up the volume on social media and the negative effects it has on our children. 

Listen to our full remarks here.

Monthly News Conference

We held our October Monthly News Conference at PBS Utah this week. We appreciated questions about elections, water, inflation and more. 

We once again discussed the harms of social media and the negative effects increased screen time are having on our youth. On the election front, we talked about the good work of Lt. Gov. Henderson and the state’s 29 county elections officials to make sure Utah’s elections are safe and secure. Utah is a model for the vote-by-mail system.

National Governors Association comes to Utah

We were excited to welcome the National Governors Association to Utah this week. Alongside NGA Chair New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, we committed to expand youth mental health resources as well as improve maternal and infant health in a series of panel discussions. 

We also had the opportunity to talk about the current state of youth mental health, how to build a resilient youth, and the role social media plays on youth mental health. Utah’s pioneering development of the SafeUT app is one of the many ways we are working to improve mental health services for Utahns of all ages. Mental health matters to us all, and we appreciate Gov. Murphy and the National Governors Association for convening these important conversations.

A surprise for backpackers

Last month we took a backpacking trip up to Governor Dern Lake, and we met an incredible group of young people from Kearns. We hiked down the mountain with them and learned they went backpacking every year to get outside and be in nature. We were impressed by their yearly tradition of older teenagers taking younger teenagers in their community backpacking. 

So this week, we hosted these backpackers and two of their adult leaders at the Kearns Mansion where we caught up and had dinner together. 

Click here to see highlights from the dinner and a fun surprise for these kids from Teton Sports.

Utah State Hospital Staff Appreciation

This week was staff appreciation week at the Utah State Hospital, with breakfast served by Utah Department of Health and Human Services leadership.

The hospital staff works hard every day serving Utahns with mental illness. They also work to restore competency for individuals who have been found not competent to stand trial.

They place a high value on meeting the needs of each patient in a humanistic, caring, and professional way.

Visiting Camp Williams

On Monday we spent time at Camp Williams, a National Guard training site operated by the Utah National Guard. The Utah Training Center consists of 24,000 acres of combat-training areas, small-arms weapons firing ranges, artillery-firing points, demolition, grenade and crew-served weapon ranges. Many types of training are available in surrounding areas. 

While at Camp Williams, we got to be part of a Blackhawk helicopter flight training, see various machinery used by the Armed Forces and meet some of the soldiers who help keep Camp Williams running. The Utah National Guard is full of brave individuals, and we are grateful for their willingness to serve our state. 

Thank you, UTNG and Camp Williams for having us. Learn more about the Utah National Guard here. 

Governor’s Award for Excellence Highlight

Each week, we are highlighting a state employee who was recently awarded the Governor’s Award for Excellence. This week we are recognizing Stephanie Burnham with the Utah Department of Government Operations! 

Stephanie Burnham has been with the Division of Finance for over 25 years and has played a key role in several system implementations and upgrades during that time. The past year, however, has been an extremely challenging year for financial systems. Stephanie has been critical to the successful implementation of project RISE, which is a significant upgrade of the state’s core financial system; the Chart of Accounts project, which took months of planning and effort; and the transition of the Payment Tracking System into FINET. 

These projects were happening concurrently and impacted multiple state agencies, and Stephanie’s efforts were instrumental in ensuring a smooth transition.She has also spent a considerable amount of time training new staff and ensuring the existing system changes are tested and running well. Stephanie also provides unparalleled customer service and looks for opportunities to improve systems and processes. She demonstrates exemplary leadership skills in her daily work. She is an asset to the Division of Finance and the Department of Government Operations.

Thank you, Stephanie, for your dedication to the state of Utah. Keep up the great work! To read about the Governor’s Awards for Excellence, click here.

It’s Spooky Season: Visit Utah’s Ghost Towns

Our team at Visit Utah has compiled a list of ghost towns located here in Utah! 

As we approach Halloween, take a chance to explore these spooky sites, and learn the history of the towns and the lives that once lived there. While exploring these wild west ghost towns, plan your visit carefully as many of these towns require maneuvering backroads with unreliable cell service and terrain. Visit with respect, and always do your research and ask locals before setting out.

ICYMI

• This week, we met with the Tax Commission to thank them for the important work they do for the state. See more of our visit here. 
• We were able to meet United Arab Emirates Ambassadors here in Utah after visiting the UAE last month. These visits strengthen cultural and economic ties. 
• Good Things Utah is celebrating its 20th anniversary this week. Congratulations on your success!  
• We visited CTRM Lab and met with biotech leaders to learn about their work. Thank you for hosting us.
• Last week we attended the #OneUtah Summit in Cedar City. It was incredible visiting with so many dedicated community and business leaders and celebrating Utah's rural areas. Listen to our keynote address from the Summit here.

Coming up

• Oct. 24: We’ll be in Utah County meeting with business, education, and community leaders as part of the Utah 360 Tour. Stay tuned for updates!
• Oct. 24: We’ll host a  Latino Town Hall at Salt Lake Community College’s Grand Theatre. More details here. Hope you can join us!
• Oct. 26: We’ll be meeting with Utah military commanders to welcome new leaders, discuss critical issues, and thank Utah’s military officers for their dedication and service.
• Oct. 27: We will be attending the Larry H. Miller Business Partner and Philanthropy Summit to meet and collaborate with philanthropic leaders in the community. 
• Oct. 28: We are looking forward to joining the Salt Lake Chamber and other partners for the Business Diversity Summit.

Get involved!

Looking for a new job opportunity? From great employee benefits to versatile work schedules, the career opportunities with the state are truly endless. Join Team Utah today! 

Those looking to volunteer can also consider more than 300 boards and commissions. Find out which openings are available and how you can get involved here!

Get in touch!

You can reach the Governor's Office here. And you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for the latest news and updates.

Contact the Governor's Office

Click Here for more information.