News

or the past 10 years, North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) has helped thousands of North Dakotans take the first step toward recovery through its Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Voucher program, which helps remove one of the biggest barriers to treatment: the ability to pay for care. 

Established by the North Dakota Legislature in 2015, the SUD Voucher program was created to help individuals access evidence-based substance use disorder treatment and recovery services when financial barriers might otherwise delay or prevent care. Since its inception, 11,690 North Dakotans have been approved for services through the program, connecting individuals and families to treatment, recovery support and hope.

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) is preparing to implement several federally required changes to the state’s Medicaid program over the next two years, including work requirements for some Medicaid Expansion members.

These new requirements are a result of the federal Working Families Tax Cut Act passed by Congress and signed into law on July 4, 2025.

Starting Jan. 1, 2027, adults ages 19 to 64 enrolled in Medicaid Expansion will be required to participate in work, an approved work or training program, volunteer or be enrolled in an education program for at least 80 hours per month to maintain their coverage, unless they qualify for an exclusion.

From fitness and recovery equipment to mindfulness tools and wellness spaces that help reduce burnout, North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) is investing in the health and well-being of rural healthcare workers through a new funding opportunity for rural hospitals.

Applications are now open for the Hospital Wellness Equipment funding opportunity through the North Dakota Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), providing resources to help rural North Dakota hospitals create healthier workplaces and support the physical, mental and emotional well-being of their workforce.

From fitness equipment and sensory tools to wellness spaces that support student mental health, North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) is investing in healthier learning environments through a new funding opportunity for rural and tribal schools.

Applications are now open for the School-Based Wellness Equipment funding opportunity through the North Dakota Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), providing resources to help schools strengthen students' physical, mental and emotional well-being. The funding is designed to support healthier habits, reduce barriers to learning and create school environments where students are better prepared to learn, participate and thrive.

Registration is now open for the sixth annual Behavioral Health & Children and Family Services Conference, scheduled for Sept. 14-17 at the Bismarck Event Center and online through a livestream option.

The main conference will take place Sept. 15-17, with optional pre- and post-conference sessions offered Sept. 14 and Sept. 17.

More than 1,400 in-person attendees and hundreds of virtual participants are expected to take part in keynote presentations, breakout sessions and networking opportunities focused on behavioral health, child welfare, suicide prevention and youth development.

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) has completed the state’s application for Federal Title V Block Grant funds to support maternal and child health goals in North Dakota for the federal fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2026, and ending Sept. 30, 2027. The application is now available for public comment through July 10, 2026.

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that $400,000 of FamilyFirst Services Training and Implementation Grant funds are available for agencies and professionals to complete training and provide approved, evidence-based FamilyFirst prevention services. Grant applications are open now and will be accepted through March 1, 2027, or until all funds are allocated.

To help more women access lifesaving breast cancer screenings closer to home, North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a new $1.5 million funding opportunity to support a mobile mammography unit serving rural and underserved communities in western North Dakota. For many women in western North Dakota, getting a mammogram means taking time off work, arranging transportation and traveling long distances. The funding opportunity is designed to help reduce those barriers by bringing mammography services directly into communities.