Committee hears large rewrite to rename human service centers and add certified community behavioral health clinics; members flag need for follow‑up

The Senate Human Services Committee held an extended hearing on Senate Bill 2113, a broad statutory package that would rename regional human service centers “state operated behavioral health clinics,” create a definition and process for certified community behavioral health clinics, and update multiple sections of Chapter 50‑6 of the North Dakota Century Code.

Jonathan Ulm, chief legal officer for the Department of Health and Human Services, explained the bill’s purpose as aligning statutory language with current structure and service delivery. Ulm told the committee the title change would reduce confusion between human service centers and human service zones, add definitions for certified community behavioral health clinic and state operated behavioral health clinic, and remove obsolete date language and provisions tied to prior restructuring.

The bill would also: update powers and duties for the renamed clinics; clarify licensing, certification, and accreditation language (including a request to fund…