Chairman Nelson and members of the Human Resources Division heard a briefing from Ashley Japka, clinical director of the South Central Human Service Center in Jamestown, on the region’s crisis response, residential transitions and staffing pressures.

Japka said the center serves nine counties and is expanding residential capacity after taking over some programs from the state hospital. “We currently have 89 funded positions, 63 of which are filled,” she told the committee, and she described about 26 vacancies as the region scales up services and staffs new state-run transitional and recovery facilities.

The staffing shortfall is concentrated in direct-care and crisis roles, Japka said. She told the panel that the center typically has one staffer on call for evenings and weekends in its crisis service and that “we only have 1 person that is providing those services on evenings, weekends, and non holidays.” The center recently added a third overnight crisis position to reduce mandatory overtime and spread coverage.

Why it matters: lawmaker questions and written materials showed the region is shifting higher-cost institutional programs—such as the Tompkins program and other state-run residential beds—into community-operated settings. That transition raises near-term payroll, training and contract costs while promising longer-term capacity to treat people in less-restrictive settings.

Most important program details and outcomes
- Crisis and stabilization: Japka reviewed in-person and telehealth crisis services, a 24/7 drop-in crisis stabilization center and a 15-bed crisis stabilization unit that can be staffed to use a 16th bed when needed.
- Residential transitions: The center has assumed management of the Tompkins program and other state-run settings; Bridges to Recovery (a high-intensity residential) has a tentative opening date of February 3 and Buffalo City TL is already operating. Tompkins-average stays are roughly 60–90 days, Japka said.
- Rural drug court: Japka reported 2023 program success at 72% with 69% of completers free of arrest in the first year; 2024 showed a 63% program success rate and 94% of completers without a subsequent arrest in the first year.

Budget and contracting pressures
Japka attributed rising operating and contract costs to three drivers: adding state-run residential slots, provider inflation, and higher staffing/training expenses for direct-care staff. The center uses temporary staffing contracts (Prime Time) and is negotiating with Dakota Traveling Nurses to supply CNAs/CMAs and staff overnight shifts; the latter contractor reportedly offers housing for staff and a lower per-shift rate.

Committee members pressed for hard numbers. Chairman Nelson asked the center to provide a multi-year schedule showing travel-nurse contract payments and amendments; Japka said the center could provide contract histories and point-in-time comparisons.

Operational impacts and clarifications
- Workforce development: Japka described formal partnerships with the University of Jamestown (internships, clinical placements and pathways to licensure) and membership in regional consortiums to grow clinicians locally.
- Licensing/reciprocity obstacles: Japka cited barriers to licensing for professionals trained out of state and asked legislative help on reciprocity and pipeline incentives.
- Rural coverage and travel: The center emphasized the cost of serving a nine-county region; travel expenses and overtime rose as staff travel to remote towns for in-home services.
- Temporary housing and ADA accommodations: The center said it has no regional homeless shelter and is working with local housing authorities; a transitional-living unit includes one ADA-compliant apartment and the average stay in transitional living was reported as 12–18 months.

What the committee asked for and next steps
Committee members requested the center produce (a) a schedule of travel-nurse contract amounts (including COVID-era peaks and current rates), (b) counts of county-jail clients served and veterans served in the region, and (c) more detail on overtime projections tied to crisis coverage. Japka said she would provide those numbers.

Ending: Japka and committee members framed the center’s challenges as typical of rural behavioral health providers: recruiting and retaining licensed clinicians and direct-care staff, offsetting provider inflation, and covering large geographic areas. Lawmakers indicated they will review those budget materials and contract histories as they evaluate the agency’s appropriation requests.