Sanford Health Behavioral Health Bemidji

Adult Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is a rehabilitation service, not a crisis service. Patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder with psychotic features are given the highest priority for service.

Eligibility is determined by a diagnostic assessment and a functional assessment indicating less-intensive services are inadequate. Individuals with a primary diagnosis of a substance abuse disorder, a developmental disability, borderline personality disorder, traumatic brain injury or autism spectrum disorder are not eligible for ACT services.

Benefits of ACT:

• Help when it’s needed: Rather than seeing patients only a few times a month, team members contact patients as often as necessary.
• Shared caseload: Team members do not have individual caseloads. They collaborate and share responsibility for all patients in the program.
• Attention to patient needs: Plans are highly individualized. The team reviews each patient’s progress daily, and if an individual’s needs change, the team can respond quickly.

ACT helps with:

• Benefits
• Co-occurring disorders
• Counseling
• Daily living activities
• Employment
• Family life
• Health care
• Housing
• Managing finances
• Medications

We serve a 30-mile radius around Bemidji. To make a referral, please call (218) 333-2220.

Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health Services (ARMHS) assist individuals in managing mental health symptoms. Services are available in Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater and Hubbard counties and are provided at home or in the community.

To be eligible, patients must:

• Be 18 years or older
• Have a primary diagnosis of a serious mental illness as determined by a diagnostic assessment or comprehensive evaluation
• Have completed a level of care assessment
• Have significant impairment in at least three or more areas of the functional assessment

We offer:

• Individualized skills training
  • Accessing and arranging transportation
  • Budgeting and nutrition
  • Communicating with others
  • Coping with mental health symptoms
  • Gaining access to community resources
  • Managing and maintaining a home
  • Managing and preventing a mental health crisis
  • Preventing relapse and hospitalization
• Group skills training
  • Diagnosis and symptom management education
  • Coping skills practice and coaching
  • Social, intrapersonal and interpersonal relationship improvement
  • Wellness recovery action planning
• Medication education
  • Learning about the use of medications, including common side effects
• Peer support services
  • Connecting with a peer who has experienced mental health concerns for advice, enhancing practice skills and learning how to share your story.

Services are available virtually or in person. Contact Sanford Behavioral Health at (218) 333-2035 to get started.

Early detection and treatment of behavioral health concerns is key to addressing the emotional and behavioral needs of our children. We work with children ages 5-18 in diagnosing and treating behavioral health needs while assisting the child and family on a path to overall wellness.

Children's Therapeutic Services and Supports (CTSS) is a program designed to assist children in addressing behavioral and emotional needs. CTSS addresses conditions of emotional disturbance that impair and interfere with an individual's ability to function independently. We meet children and families where they are in their journey and walk alongside them to regain independence. We offer:

• Case management
• Family skills
• Family therapy
• Group skills
• Individual skills

Services are offered in the office setting, in the home, in the community or in the Bemidji School District #31 elementary schools and the Schoolcraft Learning Community. Services also may be available at Bemidji Middle School, Bemidji High School, Trek North and Voyageurs charter schools – ask your school about availability.

Youth Assertive Community Treatment (Youth ACT) is a rehabilitation service, not a crisis service. Youth ACT is for patients 8-15 years old with any type of mental health diagnosis by a professional.

Eligibility is determined by a diagnostic assessment and a functional assessment indicating less-intensive services are inadequate. Patients are required to have participated previously in mental health services.

Benefits of Youth ACT:

• Help when it’s needed: Rather than seeing patients only a few times a month, team members contact patients as often as necessary. Patients and families must be willing to receive services at least three times per week.
• Shared caseload: Team members do not have individual caseloads. They collaborate and share responsibility for all patients in the program.
• Attention to patient needs: Plans are highly individualized. The team reviews each patient’s progress daily, and if an individual’s needs change, the team can respond quickly.

Youth ACT helps with:

• Co-occurring disorders
• Coping skills
• Daily living activities
• Education
• Employment
• Family life
• Medications
• Therapy

We serve a 30-mile radius around Bemidji. To make a referral, please call (218) 333-2035.

Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis is eligible for mobile crisis response services. A mental health crisis is a behavioral, emotional or psychiatric situation that would likely result in significantly reduced levels of functioning.

This includes difficulty with:

• Anxiety and depression
• Caring for or keeping oneself safe
• Coping with a stressful or traumatic event
• Hallucinations or delusions
• Physical or verbal aggression
• Self-harm, suicidal or homicidal thoughts

Services for adults, children and families include:

• Mental health crisis assessments
• Interventions
• Stabilizations

Mobile Crisis Response Services is partially funded by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Health and Human Services. Patients will never receive a bill.

How to make a referral
If you know someone who could benefit from these services, please call (800) 422-0045. Our trained call center staff is available 24 hours a day to take referrals. Following your call, a representative from the Mobile Crisis Response Services team will contact you to set up immediate community-based intervention or offer support and resources over the phone.

Community Education
The Mobile Crisis Response Services team offers presentations and trainings to the public. Our professionals receive ongoing training on best practices for responding to mental health crisis situations.

Contact us at (218) 333-2035 for a visit to your community group, school or organization.

The process of leaving jail or prison isn’t easy. We help individuals identify their needs and connect them with resources to start healing and rebuilding their lives, prior to or after release.

The New Beginnings Re-Entry Program can help individuals make a successful return to their families and their communities as law-abiding, contributing citizens.

Our staff works with each individual to create a personalized plan. We believe in using a variety of approaches, including abstinence-based and harm-reduction plans. 

We offer:

• Direct Access (formerly Rule 25)
• Needs assessments to determine short- and long-term goals, resources and services 
• Intensive case management services
• One-to-one peer support
• Teaching healthy coping skills

We connect clients to:

• Substance use disorder (SUD) treatment
• Recovery support services
• Mental health diagnostic assessments and counseling
• Cultural activities and healing practices
• Job skills training, resume building and employment opportunities
• Family counseling and parenting skill sessions
• Medical and dental care
• Housing programs
• Identification services to help clients obtain documents like birth certificates, social security cards and driver’s licenses

Because of programs like ours, Minnesota’s adult recidivism rates have remained remarkably stable. Individuals who participate in re-entry programming have more success as they re-integrate back into their community.

Funding for this project is provided by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Contact the New Beginnings Re-Entry Program within Sanford Health Behavioral Health Bemidji at (218) 333-2035 to get started.

The Stable Housing Program is for people 18 years or older who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness. We recognize that housing is a basic right and work to develop a plan for long-term stability.

We help with:

• Filling out housing applications
• Finding an apartment
• Signing a lease
• Connecting with landlords
• Obtaining a housing choice voucher

Sanford Health works with housing agencies and landlords to obtain safe and affordable housing for individuals. We do not have physical apartment buildings.

The Stable Housing Program serves Beltrami, Cass, Hubbard and Clearwater counties. To make a referral, find a local Northwest Minnesota Continuum of Care coordinated entry access site.

Funding for this program is provided by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

The Substance Use Disorder program offers comprehensive assessments (previously referred to as a Rule 25) and outpatient intensive substance use treatment.

The program offers:

• Assessments
• Treatment coordination
• Treatment planning
• Group therapy
• Individual substance use counseling

Chemical Dependency Outpatient Group
Chemical dependency outpatient and intensive outpatient services use best practices and trauma-informed care. Our program offers both abstinence-based and harm reduction-based services. Services are personalized to the client.

We specialize in treating people struggling with substance use disorders and mental health problems. We offer women’s, men’s, co-ed groups, MAT groups, adolescent, cultural and skills-based groups. More groups will be added as the need for them grows.

Comprehensive Assessment Procedures and Client Responsibilities
Before attending the appointment for a comprehensive assessment (previously referred to as a Rule 25), please be sure to have a minimum of two collateral contacts and sign releases for them.

If the assessment is court-ordered due to a DWI or DUI, there will be a cash requirement for services. You must bring information related to ignition interlock if the state requires documentation.

Please arrive at your first assessment appointment 30 minutes early to complete the necessary paperwork.

To make an appointment, please call (218) 333-2006.