Problem:
Utah’s youth face 41% higher suicide rates compared to their peers across the United States.
Solution:
On August 1, 2026, Drs. Marie Heffernan and Daniel Mendoza launched the Collaborative for Clean Air (CCA) at the Marmalade Library Branch in Salt Lake City, Utah. Collaborative for Clean Air (CCA) explores links between environmental stressors and mental health. The first year of CCA focuses on air pollution and mental health, and the second year will include extreme heat and energy insecurity. The event was supported by Region 8 PEHSU and Utah legislative officials. The event served to present the CCA to the community and encouraged participants to take a survey aimed at understanding their own, as well as their children’s, perception and response to poor air quality with questions such as “does the air quality affect your family’s outdoor plans?”. This is particularly important for Utah, which provides a large amount of outdoor recreation and relies on tourism for a substantial part of its economy.
Impact:
The event was a success with key air quality organizations attending and sharing information and engaging with participants. Among them, the Salt Lake City Sustainability Office – SLCGreen (https://www.slc.gov/sustainability/), Salt Lake County Outreach Office (https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/health/air-quality/), HEAL Utah (https://www.healutah.org/), and Utah Clean Cities and Communities (https://utahcleancities.org/). Local media attended the event and will follow our project as it develops. We were also able to interview several participants and will continue to host additional events including the Breathe Clean Festival.