Sixty percent of the Summit County Health Department’s funding comes from grants, not local taxes.
And the health department expects to see far less in grant money this year, in large part because of President Donald Trump’s government efficiency efforts.
ProPublica reported Monday that although a judge blocked the administration’s sweeping funding freeze, agencies including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are withholding money from local entities anyway.
Health Director Phil Bondurant said his office is waiting to see how much money state health officials dole out July 1. Federal grants often are given first to states, who pass it along to local governments.
“I do believe that we will not see a complete cut of funding, but we should expect that there's going to be cuts in funding,” Bondurant said. “Much like we've seen with all new presidential administrations, there's always some changes and modifications that are made in those funding streams, and we anticipate that.”
While staff prepare and wait on information from Washington, Bondurant said last week he directed them to pause purchases through the end of February, except on things “absolutely necessary for operations and programming.”
Even though he said the health department doesn’t want the community to be short on services they depend on, Bondurant told KPCW he’s met with the Summit County manager and councilmembers to plan ahead, if cutbacks are necessary.
“This year is just a little bit more concerning for us, because where in years past, we've seen clear direction coming from our federal partners, this year, even our federal partners are at a bit of a loss as to what the funding looks like in the future,” he explained on KPCW’s “Local News Hour.”
Bondurant has also briefed department members on what to do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents arrive at department offices.
No one is required to disclose their immigration status to receive treatment or services from the county health department.
Bondurant said some forms have sections where people can choose to disclose it, but they’re optional.
“That level of trust can be challenging, being that we are a government agency, but I can assure those that are listening that the Summit County Health Department is committed to providing services for all residents of Summit County, and while it may not seem that way, the Summit County Health Department is a safe space,” Bondurant said.
Still, he’s hearing from staff that residents who were accepting services six months ago have become unresponsive.
Similarly, the Christian Center of Park City says demand at its food bank is down since 2025 began. Executive Director Steve Richardson said some residents are fearful of leaving their homes and encountering ICE.
