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Mental Health America of North Dakota Organizational Description |
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Mission Statement:
To promote mental health through education, advocacy, understanding and access to quality care for all individuals.
Vision Statement:
To be a leader in creating a just, humane and healthy society in which all people are accorded respect, dignity and the opportunity to achieve their full potential free from discrimination against mental illness.
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About Mental Health America of North Dakota |
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Background:
Mental Health America of North Dakota (MHAND) is a 501© 3 non-profit organization. For more than 58 years the residents of our state have had a safe, trusted and confidential place to turn when seeking help for behavioral health (mental health and substance use) issues. MHAND promotes mental wellness for the health and well-being of all North Dakotans – every day and in times of crisis.
Throughout its rich history, MHAND has consistently fought for the needs of children, adults and families through the programs and activities such as education, support groups, supportive action/advocacy and many more.
MHAND's goals are consistent with those outlined more than 58 years ago by the pioneers of the initial formation of the organization. The goals are to craft and support public policies that promote mental health and consumer empowerment, reduce stigma and improve public understanding, attitudes and actions regarding behavioral health. We accomplish that through working to ensure the development of a broad-based national behavioral health agenda that supports strong community based services; and provides a high quality, culturally competent services and support to all North Dakotans.
Perhaps Myrt Armstrong, former Executive Director, best described the work of MHAND when, in 1988, she wrote: "In this kind of work we are constantly risking it all, constantly setting out in uncharted waters. Even in brief moments of victory, we know we cannot rest because the pain of those for whom we struggle, our fuel and our focus, is always there with us."
Two challenges remain constant: 1) the fight against the stigma of mental illness and substance use and; 2) the struggle for sustainable funding as a non- profit organization.
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Current Programs and Activities |
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Psychosocial Rehabilitation Recovery Centers – MHAND operates the Myrt Armstrong Center in Fargo and Mountainbrooke in Grand Forks through a sub-contract from the ND Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. The centers provide stability to individuals who experience symptoms that relate to their mental illness by offering an environment where members can share a meal, participate in leisure activities and receive support in a social setting. The program serves and average of 30 adults per day 365 days a year. We have operated this program for over 30 years.
Suicide Prevention Coalition – MHAND serves as the fiscal agent for the statewide coalition's programs and activities. MHAND was a founding member of the organization and continues to support its work that includes advocacy, education and awareness of the issues that surround suicide.
Building Connections to Support Recovery – This curriculum developed by MHAND with consultation form a Consumer and Family Member Advisory Council is offered to consumers and family members to provide effective communication strategies, the basics of recovery, self-knowledge and advocacy. The program has been in operation for three years and has served more than 1000 people. We currently have an agreement with the ND Veteran's Administration to provide the curriculum to family members of returning soldiers.
Support Groups – MHAND offers support groups that provide information, support, resources, and inspiration to individuals with mental illness and their family members. MHAND has offered support group programs for over 28 years.
Educational Presentations -
- Mental Health @ Work – Employees are provided practical information about the connection between mental health and work and the signs of workplace stress and anxiety. MHAND has been presenting this program for three years.
- Kids on the Block (KOB) – An educational and prevention program for children grades K-6. In 2009, presentations on bullying and children's mental health were provided to 1,610 K-6 students. MHAND has been involved with KOB for 16 years.
- Live Your Life Well is a new program for MHAND. The focus is on wellness and recovery through prevention strategies. The national organization, Mental Health America has developed a www.liveyourlifewell.org web site with best practices research to demonstrate wellness and recovery tools. MHAND utilizes the web site as a resource for a power point presentation.
Sowing Seeds of Hope - MHAND is the fiscal agent for this grassroots community outreach program to support access to behavioral health services for farm and ranch families through an organization called AgriWellness, Inc. MHAND's executive director is President of the AgriWellness Board of Directors. AgriWellness is made up of a seven state coalition whose primary goal is a focus on behavioral health needs of farm and ranch producers and their family members.
Advocacy/Supportive Action – MHAND advocates for public policy leading to an effective, efficient and well-funded mental health care system locally, statewide and nationally. MHAND participates in advocacy to create laws and change public policy including mental health parity nationally and statewide and a successful effort to prevent Medicaid recipients from going through a drug utilization review process for psychotropic drug prescription approval. The decision for utilization now remains with the patient and the psychiatrist. MHAND serves on the North Dakota State Hospital Governing Board, the Governor's Mental Health Planning Council; the Governor's Commission on Olmstead and is a founding member of the North Dakota Disabilities Advocacy Consortium. Through collaboration with statewide organizations, MHAND's public policy advocacy strategy implementation is more effective. MHAND also serves on the Cass County Jail Intervention Coordinating Committee and the statewide Transition from Prison to Community committee.
Behavioral Health Access Initiative - MHAND's newest advocacy effort speaks to the need for elimination of disparity to access behavioral health (mental Health and substance use) services in rural ND – Frontier and Federal tribal lands. Through a generous grant from the Bristol-Meyers Foundation and with the support of a strong project ND advisory council, MHAND has produced a documentary called Resolana: Voice of the People. The documentary identifies barriers to access behavioral health services in rural ND. MHAND will utilize the film to educate the public and promote a solution based dialogue among consumers, family members, policy makers, advocates and community and state leaders in the area of human services. Another accomplishment of the initiative is the development and delivery of a Rural Behavioral Health Curriculum for primary care, mid-level, PA and nurse providers to help integrate primary and behavioral health in rural ND.
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Structure and Function |
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MHAND is an affiliate of the over a century old Mental Health America organization located in the Washington DC area.
MHAND has a board of directors that directs the activities and programs of the organization. The board meets quarterly with an Annual Meeting in October.
The Governance Committee meets on an as needed basis. Other committees are Nominating, Public Policy and Bylaws. The Public Policy Committee has participants that are outside of the board membership and includes elected officials and consumers.
MHAND has two offices in North Dakota, one in Bismarck and one in Fargo. The total staff number is twelve and includes the two MHAND offices, Mountainbrooke and Myrt Armstrong Recovery Centers. Susan Rae Helgeland, M.S. is the Executive Director. Susan has been with MHAND for more than 20 years and has been Executive Director for the last five years
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Contact |
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Mental Health America of North Dakota
PO Box 4106
Bismarck ND, 58502-4106
701-255-3692
Staff Contacts:
| Name |
Position |
| Susan Helgeland |
Executive Director |
Executive Board:
| Name |
Position |
City |
| David Bialik |
Treasurer |
Grand Forks |
| Ruth Denton-Graber |
President |
Fargo |
| Mary Pat Holler |
Secretary |
Grand Forks |
| Mark Little Owl |
Vice President |
New Town |
Board of Directors:
| Name |
City |
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Adam Tony Mandan
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Dickinson |
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Ron Volk
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Bismarck |
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Marcia Hettich
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Elgin |
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Mark LoMurray
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Bismarck |
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Lori Brownshield
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Fargo |
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Kim Kapp
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Jamestown |
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Tom Regan
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Bismarck |
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Larry Robinson
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Valley City |
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Copyright © 2012 Mental Health America
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