North Dakota is meeting only 23% of its mental health workforce need, according to a report from the national mental health advocacy organization Inseparable. The shortage is leaving thousands of residents seeking care elsewhere due to a lack of providers. Sanford Health’s psychology waitlist tops 300 patients, with individuals waiting months to get appointments. More than 300 people are on the waitlist, with delays stemming from staffing limitations.
Dr. Jon Ulven, a Behavioral Health Specialist at Sanford, noted that the Fargo-Moorhead area is served by roughly 20 psychiatry providers and 20 psychotherapy providers. Part of the problem is a lack of applicants for open positions. Ulven recalled a time when Sanford posted a position for a new psychologist that remained open for two years without receiving an applicant. To address the pipeline issue, Sanford has adopted a “grow our own” approach, including a psychiatry residency program in partnership with the University of North Dakota medical school that currently has 26 residents.
At Essentia Health, Dr. Alexandra Kohlhase, a Clinical Psychologist, said the provider shortage is unlikely to be resolved. “We have made several new hires just for this year as our department continues to grow. I would say there’s never a point in time where we’ll probably have enough providers to meet the needs of our patient population.” Telehealth has been critical to serving patients across the state, particularly in rural areas. “If we didn’t have telehealth, that would probably eliminate half of the patients that we see,” Kohlhase said. Essentia is also managing patient volume by transferring stabilized patients back to primary care for medication management, freeing up specialists for higher-need cases. The impact of the shortage extends beyond those with diagnosed conditions, as unmanaged behavioral health affects overall health outcomes.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.valleynewslive.com/2026/03/13/sanford-essentia-working-close-north-dakotas-mental-health-provider-gap/