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Clay County withdrawal management program reports 2,638 admissions in 2025; 741 were county residents
Summary
County program leaders told commissioners the combined detox and withdrawal management facility doubled bed capacity since moving to the new building, improved staffing, is implementing electronic health records, and recorded 2,638 total admissions in 2025, including 741 Clay County residents and 1,598 patients from North Dakota.
Clay County program staff gave the board an annual update on the county's withdrawal management and detox services, reporting growth in capacity and staffing and providing admissions and payer breakdowns for 2025.
"We doubled our beds," the program presenter said, summarizing facility changes after the move to the new building and noting that some months have seen double the clients compared with the prior facility. Staff reported they have hired the last two registered nurses needed to reach a full RN complement and are in the process of hiring an LPN and a full-time technician.
Andrew Lowey, the RN supervisor introduced during the presentation, described operational changes that accompanied the program consolidation. He said the facility raised detox standards to match withdrawal-management requirements so all clients now receive the same level of care. "So we're treating all the clients the same," Lowey said, adding that the change reduced churn where clients were previously discharged from brief detox stays and then returned.
Program staff provided 2025 statistics: total client admissions were 2,638; of those, 741 were Clay County residents, 296 were from other Minnesota counties and 1,598 were from North Dakota. Staff also said homeless clients made up a large portion of admissions (1,590). Commissioners asked whether the facility is functioning as a regional resource; staff confirmed a substantial share of admissions come from neighboring counties, notably Becker, Otter Tail and Beltrami, and several North Dakota counties.
On reimbursement, presenters said Minnesota withdrawal-management billing is structured around a daily rate and a per-bed payment; a speaker described a $400-per-day amount plus $75 per bed for withdrawal-management clients, with bed payments covered by behavioral health funds when applicable.
Staff also highlighted service improvements planned or underway: a state-required certified peer recovery specialist position is being filled (one hired, two pending background checks), a new scheduling app that went into full use Jan. 1 to streamline staffing, and a planned electronic health record system expected to be fully implemented between April 1 and May 1 to improve documentation and signatures.
Commissioners expressed appreciation for the data and the program's progress. The presentation closed with commissioners noting the program's value to Clay County residents and staff thanking the board for continued support.
The board took no formal policy action on the presentation; the update will inform future budget and service planning.
