Grand Forks County Correctional Center (GFCCC) is now offering in-house addiction counseling to eligible North Dakota resident inmates through a partnership with Agassiz Associates, PLLC, a private mental health clinic located in Grand Forks. The program offers substance use disorder screening, assessment, and 9 hours per week of intensive outpatient programming for eligible clients. Upon discharge, clients can seamlessly continue their treatment program in an outpatient setting at Agassiz Associates, or be referred to other programs. Since the start of the program in early February, 41 clients have been served.
The program at GFCCC has been made possible by the North Dakota Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Voucher Program. The SUD Voucher, administered by the North Dakota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division, decreases barriers to addiction treatment, such as cost, insurance limitations, or location.
“My clients had often mentioned how much they wished they could have had access to treatment while they were incarcerated” Tanner Grimsley, Addiction Counselor at Agassiz Associates said. “I am happy our team is able to provide this early connection to treatment.”
“We have long sought to make services like this available in the facility” Bret Burkholder, GFCCC Administrator explained. “For many inmates, incarceration is a time when they become ready to take steps toward recovery. We are excited for this partnership to provide inmates opportunities for positive change without needing to extend their stay in the facility.”
“This is an impactful example of how our federal opioid grants have allowed us to gather stakeholders in search of innovative solutions.” added Michael Dulitz, Opioid Response Project Coordinator at Grand Forks Public Health. “Our correctional facility staff identified a need for in-facility addiction services, Agassiz Associates shared an interest and willingness to provide services, the SUD Voucher made it possible to be reimbursed for the services, and a seed grant from our opioid funding made it possible to bring it all together.”
This effort was made possible by North Dakota’s Opioid Statewide Targeted Response Grant (STR), funded by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), administered through the North Dakota Department of Human Services.
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