North Dakota Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Behavioral Health Division invites the public to its booth at the North Dakota State Fair in Minot, July 21-29, to learn about Parents Lead, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and other behavioral health programs that support the health and well-being of North Dakotans.
The booth is located in the Commercial II building and open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. CDT.
“It’s really important to continue to have conversations about behavioral health,” said HHS Behavioral Health Executive Director Pamela Sagness. “The North Dakota State Fair is a wonderful opportunity to interact with hundreds of people and share valuable behavioral health resources that could make a difference in their lives or the lives of loved ones.”
One featured resource will be Parents Lead, an evidence-based prevention program that provides parents and caregivers with a variety of tools to help support the behavioral health of children. There will also be information on the newly launched 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline that connects people who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis to trained crisis counselors 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
The division’s booth will also feature family-friendly activities including an interactive board where people can learn conversation starters that encourage discussion about behavioral health and other topics on prevention, treatment and recovery-oriented programs.
Fair attendees can also receive free Narcan (naloxone), a prescription medication that temporarily reverses an opioid overdose, along with training on how to use it.
The Behavioral Health Division is responsible for reviewing and identifying service needs and activities in the state's behavioral health system to ensure health and safety, access to services and quality services. It also establishes quality assurance standards for the licensure of substance use disorder program services and facilities and provides policy leadership in partnership with public and private entities. For more information, visit hhs.nd.gov/behavioral-health.