Earlier this year, more than a dozen agencies across North Dakota received grant funding through the North Dakota Opioid Settlement Fund Grant. In just six months, the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services says nearly 900 North Dakotans have benefited from programs and services funded by these grants.
Amy Lies is Opioid Addiction Administrator with the Behavioral Health Division. She says payments from the settlement between the state of North Dakota and opioid distributors and manufacturers will be paid out over the next eighteen years. This year, over $7 million from settlement grant was awarded.
"Really, it's kind of a short period of time that a lot of these grantees have really hit the ground running and used these funds. A lot of these entities are already serving direct individuals, and that's really exciting for us to see - that the settlement funds are going to citizens in North Dakota."
The funding has served several opioid treatment and sober living programs, as well as training for addiction professionals and prescribers.
A detailed breakdown of the funding is listed below:
FARGO
Sanford Medical Center - $397,430
Sanford Medical Center Fargo has significantly expanded its opioid use disorder treatment capabilities. Fifteen prescribers have been trained on best practices for prescribing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Two new providers have started prescribing MOUD, bringing the total to three prescribers. The center is also making progress toward becoming a licensed Substance Use Disorder Treatment program.
GRAND FORKS
Community Medical Services - $452,389
This Opioid Treatment Program has served an additional 22 individuals with opioid treatment services.
MINOT
Endeavor Sober Living - $535,000
Endeavor Sober Living has established a recovery house in Minot, which has served 14 individuals demonstrating the recovery house's positive impact on its residents.
First District Health Unit - $66,681
The Syringe Service Program added three additional hours per week. The unit provided services to 13 new individuals and referred 10 individuals to substance use treatment or medical care. Additionally, it reported improvement in substance use for five individuals, improvement in employment status for 11 individuals and improvement in housing situation for five individuals. Overall, 140 individuals have enrolled in the program.
COURT TREATMENT SERVICES
GRAND FORKS - Northeast Central Judicial District Drug Court, North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, $54,000
WAHPETON - Richland County Treatment Court, $134,000
Collectively, these two entities provided treatment services to 11 new individuals, supported improvement in employment status for 12 individuals and improvement in housing situations for nine individuals.
STATEWIDE
North Dakota State University Opioid and Naloxone Education (ONE) Program - $82,537
The NDSU ONE Program hosted and discussed collaborative work with tribal health directors and installed 76 Be the ONE boxes in tribal communities. These include video and audio recordings on how to administer Narcan and two doses of Narcan.
Training Academy of Addiction Professionals/Heartview Foundation - $613,002
Since February, the Training Academy of Addiction Professionals, operated by Heartview Foundation, has established four new licensed addiction counselor (LAC) training sites. The program has added 14 new LAC clinical supervisors and is supporting 10 LAC trainees with paid internships. Notably, eight individuals have graduated as LACs or licensed master addiction counselors, with five receiving licenses to practice in North Dakota.
USpireND – Healthy Families North Dakota - $130,075
USpireND's Healthy Families North Dakota program has supported 78 families across the state since March, including 11 families involving individuals who are incarcerated. Services have reached Barnes, Burleigh, Cass, Dickey, Grand Forks, Hettinger, Morton, Stark and Stutsman counties.
Community Connect- $3.9 million
Through 49 local providers, Community Connect has provided funding for recovery support services for an additional 614 individuals throughout the state.