Health & Environment

Gambling addiction is a growing problem in North Dakota – and nation-wide.

As Prairie Public’s Dave Thompson reports, agencies that treat problem gamblers are hoping more of them seek help.

“We know that nationally, approximately 2 to 3 percent of people struggle with problem gambling,” said Pam Sagness, the Substance Abuse lead for the state Department of Human Services. “And so, if you put that in context for the state of North Dakota, it would mean that we’re looking at approximately 14 to 21,000 people that may be suffering from problem gambling.”

As of July first, about 10,600 North Dakotans have enrolled in expanded Medicaid.

The 2013 Legislature approved the expansion of Medicaid to provide medical insurance for lower income North Dakotans.

"Our projections prior to the expansion were around 20,500," said Julie Schwab, the director of the state Department of Human Services' Medical Services Division. "The Kaiser Foundation had a little higher projection, 32,000."

Schwab says at this point, it’s only speculation as to why the numbers weren’t close to the projections.

North Dakota State University has been awarded a three-year 1-point-4 Million dollar grant to help establish a public health resource center for American Indians. The grant funding – from the Leona M and Harry B Helmsley Charitable Trust – will be matched with 720-thousnad dollars in state funding. NDSU President Dean Bresciani says the new “American Indian Public Health Resource Center” will be a “game changer”…

The chief of the state Health Department’s Emergency Preparedness and Response section says the last year has been a busy one.

Tim Wiedrich says there have been a dozen situations where the Health Department’s Emergency Operations Center has been activated.

"We've responded to a wide variety of incidents," said Wiedrich. "Things like train derailments, water emergencies, tornadoes and a wide variety of other types of emergencies -- including communicable disease."

And Wiedrich says the state, in partnership with local emergency personnel, has handled things well.

Sanford’s nursing school in Bismarck will soon be a part of NDSU.

The state Board of Higher Education has approved the plan. NDSU president Dean Breschani says the university earlier announced it would double its nursing enrollment – to help meet a growing need for nurses in North Dakota.

"We have a forming crisis in our state," Breschani told the Board. "NDSU wants to be a part of solving that, as does Sanford Health. This will help meet the need for nurses, especially in western North Dakota. It's a no-brainer that this is in the state's best interest."

Monday (3/31) marks the deadline for uninsured individuals to sign-up for healthcare coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Leading up to the deadline, State Insurance Commissioner Adam Hamm says North Dakotans have not been strong to respond to the enrollment.

“…The numbers (from the federal government) as of the end of February are about 5,200 folks covered in plans in the North Dakota marketplace. When you actually go to the three companies selling plans and see who’s actually bought a plan and paid their first month’s premiums, the number drops to about 4,500.”