Fargo, North Dakota – There is no longer a need for anyone in Fargo who require behavioral health care to wait any longer.
Wednesday saw the official opening of Prairie St. John’s new replacement building, which many in the organization claim took years to complete.
“This facility represents a significant investment in addressing the behavioral health needs of our region and shows our commitment to providing high-quality care to meet those needs,” said CEO of Prairie St. John’s Jeff Herman.
Key features of this new facility include:
• A state-of-the-art 128-bed acute behavioral health hospital, an increase from the previous 110 beds
• An investment of $47 million for new facility construction
• Specialized programming including an Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) suite and physician-led medication-assisted treatment
• Enhanced and expanded intensive day programs and outpatient care
• Increased collaboration of multidisciplinary teams including psychiatrists, internal medicine physicians, other specialists, certified clinical pharmacists, social workers, psychologists, therapists, and other clinical support staff.
• Will employ more than 350 people including clinicians, nurses, mental health technicians, activity therapists, support staff, and administration.
“The need for effective behavioral health services continues to increase,” said Executive Director of FirstLink Jennifer Illich. “We look forward to continuing to partner with Prairie St. John’s to meet these needs.” FirstLink is a regional resource center that operates the 211 resource line and the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the main killer of people in North Dakota between the ages of 10 and 24. According to the CDC, the epidemic has made many Americans more likely to commit suicide since 2020. According to Mental Health Outcomes, 33% of adults in North Dakota experienced signs of depression and/or anxiety in the fall of 2021.
