System of Care

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) announced 21 recipients of the Children’s Behavioral Health Service Grants through the Behavioral Health Division’s System of Care initiative. The funding will support the implementation of community-based, youth and family driven and culturally responsive services and supports for children, adolescents and young adults with behavioral health conditions and their families. HHS will award approximately $3.4 million through September 2025.

The following agencies will receive funding for their proposed projects. The use of funds will be guided by SAMHSA grant requirements.  

Belcourt Education Resource Center ($66,280, Belcourt, ND): To support the implementation of trauma-informed evidence-based practices for professionally licensed mental health care providers and school and community members. The grant will further work that has been initiated within the Turtle Mountain Schools as part of the Child HELP Partnership.

Belcourt School District ($128,092, Belcourt, ND): To support the Turtle Mountain Community School (TMCS) implementation of Belcourt Youth Activities Program and Healthy Living Project. In Summer 2024, the program anticipates serving 200 children and adolescents ages 6-17 through a 4-week program that includes mental health and substance use education, prevention, and skill building using the Seven Teachings approach.

Bismarck Public Schools ($170,334, Bismarck, ND): To support the development and implementation of services for students in the School Within a School (SWIS) and RenewEd settings. The grant will support the hiring of professional staff to provide services and support for students identified with behavioral health needs in the district.

Community Options ($250,000, Bismarck, Mandan, Devils Lake, ND and surrounding regions): To expand the implementation of Title IV-E Prevention Programs (Family Check-up/Everyday Parenting), 1915(i) home and community-based services, and targeted case management for children with SED and their families in both the greater Bismarck-Mandan region as well as Devils Lake.

Dakota Children’s Advocacy Center ($250,000, Bismarck, Mandan, ND and surrounding region): To increase engagement, access, and capacity to mental health services for traumatized children. The grant will be used to hire professional clinical staff, provide a parent support group (with a Parent Peer), develop family engagement and prevention resources, and expand therapy and resources for Spanish-speaking youth and families.

Family Services Network ($37,000, Bismarck, Mandan, Devils Lake, ND and surrounding regions): To support staff travel within the SOC regions and initiate education opportunities for professionals and community members on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health ($73,333, Bismarck, Mandan, Devils Lake, ND and surrounding regions): To hire and train Parent Coordinators to provide Parent and Caregiver Peer Support to serve children with SED and their families in both SOC regions. 

Fort Totten School District ($115,611, Fort Totten, ND): To address the need for behavioral health services and support for youth at Four Winds High School within the Spirit Lake Nation Reservation. The grant will focus on hiring a Student Services Coordinator to be responsible for coordinating behavioral health services and transportation logistics for students. The grant will support the implementation of evidence-based mental health interventions to address trauma and improve overall well-being among Four Winds High School students.

Healing Connection Behavioral Health Center ($236,500, Dunseith, ND): To support the expansion of the behavioral health clinic with personnel to serve children, adolescents, young adults, and families with SED on the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa reservation and surrounding region.

Indigenized Behavioral Healing ($249,950, Belcourt, ND): The grant will increase access to trauma-informed care by recruiting clinicians and training them in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and trauma-based art therapy. This grant will also allow for the ongoing integration of Anishaabee teaching in healing practices in Indigenous communities through consultation with tribal elder circles. Expanding services will impact children, adolescents, and families in the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa reservation and the surrounding region.

Kids Therapy Center ($177,282, Bismarck, Mandan, ND and surrounding region): To hire, train staff, purchase supplies, and expand evidence-based services for youth and families in Brainspotting and animal-assisted therapy.

Mandan Public Schools ($135,000, Mandan, ND): The grant will assist the district in expanding the scope of the current elementary Nexus-Path case manager to provide services for all students.

Mashkiki Wellness ($250,000, Belcourt, ND): To enhance holistic wellness within the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa community by developing a program that integrates traditional wisdom with contemporary healthcare models. The program will include the development of a cross-system, community-based advisory group and provide direct services for youth and families.

Native Inc. ($118,081, Bismarck, Mandan, ND and surrounding region): To provide culturally responsive care coordination and peer support through the 1915(i) State Medicaid Plan for Native American children and their families. The grant will support cultural program supplies and instructors that assist the integration of indigenous healing practices (sweat lodges) in Native Inc.’s youth and family programs.

Solutions Behavioral Healthcare Professionals ($250,000, Bismarck, Mandan, ND and surrounding region): To expand Solutions Bismarck office to accommodate the needs for increased space and service capacity. To support Solutions service provision of therapeutic services in rural communities throughout Region 7. Grant funds will also be used to support training, clinical supervision, and supply costs for Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).

Spirit Lake Behavioral Health ($26,218, Fort Totten, ND): To procure TalkBoxes to provide confidential spaces for providers to deliver clinical services to children, adolescents, young adults, and families within Spirit Lake Nation.

USpireND – Healthy Families of North Dakota ($119,321, Devils Lake, ND and surrounding region): To expand Healthy Families home visitation program to the greater Devils Lake region.

Youthworks of North Dakota ($249,872, Bismarck, Mandan, ND and surrounding region): To expand care coordination, peer support, and other supportive services to adolescents and young adults, ages 16-21, who have been diagnosed or at risk of being diagnosed with a SED.

August 2022
Notice of Award received

September 30, 2022
Project & Funding start date

December 2022
Enter into contract with Evaluator to complete Needs Assessment

January 2023
Hire Key Personnel (Clinical Administrator & Lead Family Administrator)

January-March 2023
Conduct Needs Assessment in two regions

February 3, 2023
SOC Kickoff Event (watch video)

March 2023
Identify and facilitate regional steering committees
Launched National Outcome Measures (NOMS) at West Central Human Service Center (WCHSC)
Completed the SOC Needs Assessment

April 2023
Convened two regional steering committees (ongoing; meeting monthly)

June 2023
Launched National Outcome Measures (NOMS) at Lake Region Human Service Center (LRHSC)

The grant will initially focus on two regions. The Division is partnering with both public and private providers in 10 counties served by the West Central Human Service Center in Bismarck and six counties served by the Lake Region Human Service Center in Devils Lake. These counties include:

• Benson
• Burleigh
• Cavalier
• Eddy
• Emmons
• Grant
• Kidder
• McLean
• Mercer
• Morton
• Oliver
• Ramsey
• Rolette
• Sheridan
• Sioux
• Towner
• Four tribal nations:
  • The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
  • Spirit Lake Nation
  • Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians
  • Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation. 

The System of Care team is partnering with state-wide and regional publicly funded agencies, private agencies, schools, advocacy groups, and children, youth, and families for infrastructure development and service implementation.

We are receiving technical assistance, training, and guidance from National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC).

For more information about North Dakota efforts and the System of Care Framework, please visit these resources:

• North Dakota System of Care Launch (video)
• North Dakota System of Care Press Release
• Needs Assessment (April 2023)
• 2018 Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) Behavioral Health System Study
• 2023 Behavioral Health Data Book
• The Evolution of System of Care Approach (2021)
• Texas System of Care Toolkit

Citation:

Stroul, B.A., Blau, G.M., & Larsen, J. (2021). The Evolution of the System of Care Approach. Baltimore: The Institute for Innovation and Implementation, School of Social Work, University of Maryland.