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Senate Bill 2096 would fund regional psychiatric beds, supporters say; opponents urge balanced investment
Summary
A hearing on Senate Bill 20‑96 drew competing views on whether $16 million in grants should be used to build regional acute psychiatric and residential supportive housing or whether the state should instead prioritize a new state hospital and sustained community services.
Sen. Tim Mathern, D‑District 11, urged the House Human Services Committee on Monday to support Senate Bill 20‑96, a plan to distribute grants for regional acute psychiatric treatment and residential supportive housing across the state’s four quadrants. Mathern said the original Senate Human Resources plan proposed $64 million but was reduced by the Senate appropriations committee to $16 million to meet appropriation targets.
Mathern told the committee the bill would let the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) award grants to build or modernize facilities where local need exists — for example, $2.5 million to finish a hospital psychiatric unit in Williston, and potential projects in Minot and Grand Forks. Mathern said grants would require any recipient to operate behavioral health facilities for at least 10 years.
“Decentralized care is supported by research,” Mathern said, adding that local facilities connect patients to family and community…
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