For years, the North Dakota Human Services Department’s Behavioral Health Division has been working on the issue of providing treatment for substance use disorders in rural and underserved areas in North Dakota.
Now, that Division has awarded $1.6 million to the Heartview Foundation, to provide treatment for adults with substance use disorders in Dickinson.
This is the first grant of its kind.
Heartview will develop a 16-bed residential treatment program for adults. It will also offer outpatient services.
"We think this will really enhance the ability for individuals to access services for family members, to participate in those treatment services, and decrease the need to travel across the state in order to access effective treatment services," said Division Director Pam Sagness.
The $1.6 million came from appropriations made by the state Legislature. And Sagness said more of these grants will become available very soon.
"We have an additional $3.4 million," Sagness said. "And within the next few weeks, we'll be issuing another 'request for proposals,' to look at additional treatment programs."
To be eligible, a treatment program must operate 16 beds or less, and be in a rural and underserved area.
