On April 7, with the support of grant funding from North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS), CHI St. Alexius Health launched their Child and Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program. This program will increase access to intensive home and community-based services for children and adolescents with behavioral health conditions, such as mental health or substance use disorder, and their families.
“Partial hospitalization is an essential part of the children’s behavioral health service continuum,” said Katie Houle, HHS clinical administrator, System of Care. “Supporting CHI St. Alexius Health in developing this program helps fill a critical service gap. We are working to ensure that youth in the Bismarck-Mandan region can receive specialized care close to home, reducing the need for long-distance travel or inpatient stays.”
Open house
CHI St. Alexius Health will be hosting a public open house to welcome community members and partners into the building. The open house is Monday, April 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. The event will include a ribbon cutting with Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce and a blessing of the building by Sister Nancy Miller, CHI St. Alexius Health, director of mission integration. The program is located at 1120 E Main Street in Bismarck.
Program funding
In alignment with its goal to expand access to high-quality, intensive home- and community-based services, HHS awarded the $750,000 grant to the medical center from its Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) System of Care Expansion and Sustainability Grant.
Program details
The partial hospitalization program involves daily treatment sessions, typically lasting six hours for five days a week. This short-term, intensive day treatment is designed for youth with behavioral health and co-occurring substance use conditions, providing a structured environment that prioritizes recovery and connection to local resources. The average length of stay in a partial hospitalization program s 3-4 weeks. The program will include integrated educational services, comprehensive care including therapy and psychiatric services, and discharge planning with community mental health providers, schools and other child serving systems.
"We are proud to expand our behavioral health services to better meet the needs of youth in our community," said Lindsae Timm, director of behavioral health services at CHI St. Alexius Health. "This program represents our commitment to delivering high-quality, compassionate care that empowers children, adolescents and their families to build resilience and thrive close to home."
Parents, caregivers, and professional supports can call (701) 530-7255 to schedule an assessment for children under the age of 18. The program is located at 1120 E Main Street in Bismarck.
Behavioral health at CHI St. Alexius Health
Behavioral Health at CHI St. Alexius Health focuses on healing the whole person –body, mind, and spirit. CHI St. Alexius Health offers different levels of care including the Archway mental health clinic, partial hospitalization program and the child, adolescent and adult inpatient psychiatry units. The comprehensive team includes licensed psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, counselors, psychiatric nurses, and nurse practitioners.
For more information about the partial hospitalization program and behavioral services at CHI St. Alexius Health, visit www.chistalexiushealth.org/services/behavioral
HHS system of care initiative
HHS was awarded a four-year SAMHSA System of Care Expansion and Sustainability Grant to enhance mental health outcomes for children and youth in September 2022. The grant serves children, youth and young adults, birth through age 21 and their families.
The purpose of the grant is to build and expand community-based behavioral health services and supports for children and youth at risk for or with serious emotional disturbances and their families.
For more information about the HHS system of care initiative, visit hhs.nd.gov/behavioral-health/system-of-care.