News

North Dakota Health and Human Services’ (HHS) offices in Devils Lake and Jamestown and two outreach offices in Rolla and Valley City will delay opening until 10 a.m. CDT today, Feb. 27 due to hazardous road conditions. HHS offices in Fargo and Grand Forks and the outreach office in Grafton will delay opening until noon CDT today. Details appear below. 
 

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) Emergency Preparedness Unit and partners are conducting a full-scale exercise on Thursday, Feb. 29, at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park. The exercise will provide training for a public health and medical response event involving HHS, N.D. Department of Emergency Services, N.D. Bureau of Criminal Investigation, N.D. Parks and Recreation Department, Morton County Sheriff’s Office, Morton County Emergency Management and other public health partners and aims to demonstrate the ability to conduct large-scale response and recovery operations.  

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) has received final approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand access and add services to the state’s Medicaid autism spectrum disorder (ASD) waiver. The waiver provides services to eligible children and supports parents in their efforts to maximize their child’s development, while also preventing out-of-home placements.  

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) Behavioral Health Division announced that Children’s Behavioral Health Service Grants are available through the System of Care initiative. The funding opportunity aims to support the development and implementation of community-based, youth and family driven, and culturally responsive services and supports for children, adolescents, and young adults with behavioral health conditions and their families. The System of Care grant initiative is prioritizing the implementation of intensive home and community-based services, including, intensive day treatment, care coordination, crisis services, and peer support. 

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) Children and Family Services initiated an adoption streamlining effort this month to ensure a more timely and safe adoption process for children in foster care who have a permanency goal that includes adoption.

There has been one confirmed case of Hepatitis A in a food worker, possibly exposed following out-of-state travel. No additional cases have been identified at this time.  North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) has determined that people who ate at the University of North Dakota (UND) Memorial Union Chick-fil-A, 3625 Campus Rd., Grand Forks, ND, on the following dates and times, may have been exposed to Hepatitis A, which is a contagious liver infection.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in four babies born with a heart defect has a critical congenital heart defect. Critical congenital heart disease is a group of serious heart conditions present at birth. These conditions may affect the heart’s shape, how it works or both. Birthing facilities in North Dakota are required to screen babies for critical congenital heart disease when they are born. North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) supports these screening efforts to ensure all babies are screened for certain rare, but serious health conditions at birth. 

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) Money Follows the Person (MFP) program stakeholders are meeting Tuesday, Feb. 13, 1-4 p.m. CT at the Southeast Human Service Center in Fargo to review and discuss ongoing efforts to serve North Dakotans with disabilities closer to home and outside of institutional settings.  

North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) Behavioral Health Division reminds North Dakotans that free services are available to those who struggle with gambling. Support is also available for their families.  

February is Children’s Dental Health Month

February is nationally designated as Children’s Dental Health Month. In observance, North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) joins dental professionals, health care providers, educators and other partners in promoting good oral health to children, their parents and caregivers, teachers and others.