CHI/CommonSpirit Health is planning 20 new inpatient psychiatric treatment beds in western North Dakota to address a decades-long shortage in mental health services. The plan proposes 10 new psychiatric inpatient beds by building an addition to CHI St. Alexius Health in Dickinson and 10 new beds by renovating space at CHI St. Alexius Health in Williston. Both Dickinson and Williston currently have zero psychiatric inpatient beds, highlighting the region’s critical lack of mental health care capacity.
Funding and Implementation
CHI will seek $9 million in financial support for the Dickinson hospital addition and $5 million for the Williston renovation. Robin Conyers, CHI vice president for behavioral health, stated: “We really feel the two sites will be appropriate to meet the current demands as well as future needs.” Beyond construction costs, the initiative requires funding for staffing, scholarships, and recruitment and retention programs to address the chronic shortage of mental health professionals in western North Dakota. The patient population served would include a heavy mix of Medicaid and uninsured patients. CHI estimated the projects would take 12 to 18 months to complete once financing is secured. Funding will be pursued through local philanthropic support not only for construction but also for ongoing services.
Regional Context and Needs
CHI’s forecast predicts demand for psychiatric services will increase 7% over the next 10 years. Inpatient psychiatric services in North Dakota are concentrated in the State Hospital in Jamestown and urban medical centers in Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, and Bismarck. According to the North Dakota Hospital Association, there are no psychiatrists in the state west of Minot or Bismarck. The North Dakota Department of Human Services contracted with private hospitals in Minot, Grand Forks, Fargo, and Bismarck for mental health services, with payments exceeding $2.6 million in 2020 to serve 1,221 persons over 4,997 hospital days, and $3.5 million in 2021 to serve 1,271 persons over 6,534 hospital days.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.inforum.com/news/north-dakota/western-north-dakota-a-mental-health-care-desert-could-get-20-psychiatric-beds