BISMARCK, N.D. – For 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.
"Celebrating ten years of this program isn't just about a milestone, it's about the nearly 12,000 North Dakotans who were able to find hope and help when they needed it most.," said Lacresha Graham, HHS manager of addiction treatment and recovery. "The SUD Voucher ensures that when someone is ready for recovery, a lack of money or insurance doesn't stand in their way. We are proud to support our communities by keeping this vital door to treatment open."
The SUD Voucher program helps eligible North Dakotans reduce financial barriers to treatment while allowing individuals to choose participating providers that best meet their needs. Covered services include screening, assessment, individual, group and family therapy, peer support, transportation, room and board, urinalysis and methadone maintenance.
Providers across North Dakota say the program has made a lasting difference by helping people access care during critical moments.
"For the past 10 years, the SUD Voucher program has helped remove one of the biggest barriers to recovery, paying for treatment when someone is finally ready to ask for help," said Ryan Messer, chief financial officer at Heartview Foundation, in Bismarck. "We've seen individuals enter treatment through the voucher program, achieve lasting recovery, reunite with their families, find meaningful employment and become active members of their communities. Those stories remind us that timely access to treatment can change not only one life, but generations of lives." Jonathan Layne, chief executive officer of Providence House, in Minot, said the program provides more than financial assistance.
"The SUD Voucher program gives people the opportunity to receive care before addiction leads to even greater consequences," said Layne. "By removing financial barriers and giving individuals the ability to choose a provider, the program helps people access evidence-based treatment when they need it most. We've seen firsthand how that opportunity helps people stabilize, rebuild relationships, return to work and remain engaged in recovery."
For many participants, the voucher represented far more than funding; it represented a second chance.
Tyler Nutting credits the program with helping him receive treatment when timing mattered most.
"The SUD Voucher program allowed me to enter treatment at the exact moment I was ready," Nutting said. "Without it, I would have had to wait for insurance, and that delay could have cost me my life. Before entering recovery, I had overdosed more than 15 times.”
Today, Nutting celebrates more than two years of sobriety. He is employed at the treatment center that helped him recover, helping others find recovery. He reports maintaining stable housing, pursuing higher education and restoring and rebuilding relationships with family and friends, including his daughters.
“None of these things would have been possible without the SUD Voucher program bridging the gap during one of the most critical moments of my life,” said Nutting. “This program does much more than provide funding for treatment. It gives people like me a real opportunity to recover, rebuild our lives and become productive members of our communities.”
The program continues to evolve to meet the needs of North Dakotans. Since its creation, legislative updates have expanded provider participation, added covered services, increased access to treatment providers in neighboring states and broadened treatment options available to eligible individuals.
Today, the SUD Voucher program remains focused on improving access to quality, evidence-based treatment and recovery services, supporting individual choice of providers and helping people begin their recovery journey without unnecessary financial barriers.
Individuals may qualify for the SUD Voucher program if they:
- Reside in North Dakota
- Are age 12 or older
- Meet income eligibility requirements
- Lack sufficient resources or insurance coverage to pay for treatment
To learn more about the SUD Voucher program or apply, visit hhs.nd.gov/behavioral-health.sudvoucher or call 701-328-8920. or call 701-328-8920.
HHS is also recognizing the program's 10th anniversary by sharing a series of personal stories highlighting North Dakotans whose lives have been transformed through recovery and the providers who have supported them along the way. Read personal stories at hhs.nd.gov/news/voices-impact.
About the SUD Voucher program
The SUD Voucher program helps eligible individuals overcome financial barriers to substance use disorder treatment and recovery services. By increasing access to evidenced-based care and allowing individuals to choose participating providers, the program supports healthier individuals, stronger families and safer communities across North Dakota.