UPDATE 8/11/20 1:00 p.m.
KROX followed up on a common question we heard from our listeners as to whether the Northwestern Mental Health Center had applied for the Payroll Protection Program. CEO Shauna Reitmeier told KROX they had applied and received funding to bridge the financial gaps the past several months to get this point and date.
UPDATE 8/10/20 4:45 p.m.
Since the pandemic arrived in our world, we’ve all had to make changes to our daily routines and how we live. Northwestern Mental Health Center is no exception. While COVID-19 has caused some hard days with difficult decisions, it has also helped us to reimagine the way we do our work.
“When we’re pushed outside our comfort zone and forced to think outside the box, that’s when we uncover new ideas and strategies to help us improve the way we support our clients,” says Shauna Reitmeier, Chief Executive Officer at Northwestern Mental Health Center.
Here is an update on the current and upcoming changes happening within NWMHC:
- We analyzed the use of our physical space and opportunities for some positions to work remotely permanently. This reduced the need for physical office space, and the Board of Directors approved the closure of two locations.
- On July 31, we officially closed the Resource Center, formally called the Novel Cup located in Crookston. Community-based staff typically used that location as a drop-in space to meet with clients, which will now occur at the main office on Bruce Street.
- We are in the process of transitioning our senior management and finance teams from the Bremer Bank building to our main office in Crookston or home offices. We anticipate that transition will be complete at the end of August.
- Reitmeier said other cost-saving measures were made prior to the decision to reduce staff. “As we’ve had to make these hard decisions, we tried to address any other cost-saving measures we could take prior to having to release any employees,” said Reitmeier. “We’ve done that through trimming other expenses and by eliminating other leased space we are no longer needing to use. So, we’ve also chosen to relinquish the administrative offices we have in Bremer and the old Novel Cup location where we’re now virtual. Many people are working from home and those are also some cost-saving reductions.”
- As a result of the pandemic, we’ve seen a decrease in service utilization for many of our programs, causing us to make administrative and clinical reductions in staff. “Part of this reduction includes the elimination of our neuropsychology program,” explains Reitmeier. “Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, we have seen a significant reduction of approximately 12 percent in service utilization and we have not rebounded to date,” said Reitmeier. “The Northwestern Mental Health Center’s board of directors authorized a re-establishment of our budgeted targets for the end of the year. In that, resulted in reductions of clinical and administrative staff. At this point in time, it’s approximately 17 percent of our clinical employees and about 13 percent of our administrative employees. If we stabilize over time those will be the first people we want to be able to bring back into the organization but at this time in order to maintain and sustain the organization we had to make these difficult decisions.”
Current providers or managers will notify all clients affected by these reductions this week. Providers will discuss a transition plan that best supports each client and ensure continuity of care with no delay of mental health care services and support.
- Our East Grand Forks location is now open. Water damage that occurred mid-April caused the entire building to close. Polk County made our space a priority and helped us to reopen quickly, among the renovations to the rest of the building.
- We continue to see a majority of our clients via telemedicine or telephonic. We can accommodate face-to-face appointments for more critical client needs and psychological testing and evaluations. We offer same-day appointments for new clients, so we encourage people who have considered getting additional support to call 218-281-3940 and talk to a provider today.
If you have any questions regarding these updates, we encourage you to email them to communication@nwmhc.org. If you are experiencing symptoms of stress, if you are in crisis, or if you feel like you want to harm yourself or someone else, please call our 24/7 Support & Crisis Helpline at 800-282-5005 or text MN to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
ORIGINAL STORY
KROX has learned that Northwestern Mental Health is reducing its staff amid the impacts of COVID-19. Northwestern Mental Health said Monday they are preparing a public release of information for later this week.
