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Woodland Centers reports rising service volume, measurable clinical gains and pilot use of AI
Summary
Woodland Centers told the Meeker County Board it provided more than 110,000 services to 5,527 people in 2025, reported measurable clinical improvements on depression and anxiety screens, and described expanded use of AI for clinician notes and a planned AI‑assisted intake pilot to shorten assessments.
Woodland Centers director Ashley presented the nonprofit’s 2025 performance to the Meeker County Board on March 17, saying the agency provided more than 110,000 services to 5,527 individuals across a seven‑county region and that Meeker County residents made up roughly 13–16% of that volume. “We provided over 110,000 services across our area to 5,527 individuals ranging in age from 3 to 90 in 2025,” Ashley said.
Ashley described how services have shifted back toward more face‑to‑face care for many programs and noted growth in crisis‑bed capacity after the center added one youth and two adult beds, which contributed to higher bed‑day counts in 2025. School‑based services operate in about 50 buildings across 15 districts, she said, helping students access short, targeted care without interrupting graduation‑critical instruction.
On outcomes, Ashley said the center has begun measurement‑based care and automated assessments: in 2025, automated systems delivered roughly 26,000 assessments and 92% of clients completed at least one assessment. She reported clinical improvements for many clients: about 42% with mild‑to‑severe depression showed measurable improvement (19% reached remission), nearly half of clients with anxiety improved (25% remission), and 59% of clients at suicide risk showed reductions in severity.
Ashley also reviewed the agency’s use of AI for documentation. Woodland Centers has used a background AI note‑taking tool since August 2024, used by 114 staff and producing roughly 53,000 notes; the tool reduced average note time to about 4.28 minutes, she said. The agency plans a second AI pilot in quarter two to assist with initial comp evaluations, with safeguards to escalate any crisis indicators to a human clinician.
Board members asked about clinician vacancies and access to inpatient beds. Ashley said the agency struggles to recruit licensed clinicians (a national trend) and that higher‑acuity patients sometimes require ER transfers because Woodland Centers is a crisis‑stabilization, not inpatient, provider. She said the center is exploring partnerships to divert patients from emergency rooms when appropriate.
The presentation concluded with community outreach highlights and a note that the agency is tracking outcomes to support continued funding and better treatment planning.
