ND Health and Human Services

Providing quality care to residents is always top-of-mind for Tim Kennedy, administrator at Parkside Lutheran Home in Lisbon, N.D., and his team. “Quality has always been a priority for us,” he said. “When you go out to a restaurant, you expect quality food. When you live in a nursing facility, you expect quality care that improves your overall health and well-being.” That’s why Kennedy is excited about the North Dakota Health and Human Services’ Nursing Facility Incentive Program. It recognizes and rewards nursing facilities for providing quality care in four federally measured areas: reductions in urinary tract infections, pressure ulcers, use of antipsychotic drugs and hospitalizations. “The program has elevated these quality measures to a high priority of focus for nursing facilities,” he said. “So far, we’ve found that when there are improvements in these areas, it naturally drives improvements in other areas.” The waterfall effect That’s what happened at Parkside Lutheran Home. It started with a focused effort to reduce the use of antipsychotic medications among its residents. “We worked with our physicians to figure out what triggers could cause negative behaviors and then we helped our staff recognize those triggers and how to react,” Kennedy said. They also added behavioral health training for staff and implemented simple interventions into their care model. “If we have a resident who gets irritable at bath time, we match them with a staff member who clicks with them to help reduce tension.” Because of these changes, Parkside Lutheran Home reduced the use of antipsychotic medications by nearly two percent over the last year, which is a move in the right direction for a small 40-bed nursing facility. Because of this, Kennedy started to notice another positive change. “Our resident falls started to decrease,” he said. “There’s definitely a strong correlation between the reduction in antipsychotic medication use and falls. They go hand-in-hand.”     Investing in the future The Nursing Facility Incentive Program was designed in partnership with the North Dakota Long Term Care Association to improve resident outcomes and decrease costs by incentivizing quality care. Parkside Lutheran Home received about $58,000 from the program. They used the funds to provide wage increases and install a new energy-efficient air conditioning system. “We have our wish list for future improvement, but for now, our focus remains on providing the best possible care to our residents,” Kennedy said. To learn more about the program, visit https://lnkd.in/gtbKc6qk.

Located on Fargo’s busy Main Avenue, Northwest Auto Body is a family-owned collision repair business that is having an impact on the community. Inside, it’s more than just a repair shop, which is why they were named 2024 North Dakota Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Employer of the Year. Manager Scott Johnson and his team have made it a warm and welcoming place for people of all abilities. Being familiar with VR, Johnson was excited at the opportunity to work with VR to help people with disabilities gain valuable work experience. “People need chances, and I feel that just giving someone a shot is important,” Johnson said. “In this industry, there are so many different jobs that a person can do.” Painting a career path  The North Dakota Health and Human Services VR program is about employment for everyone. VR business service specialists and counselors act much like match makers in a business sense. They work one-on-one with businesses to assess their workforce needs and then connect a person with a disability who is looking for a job or to advance in their career. “You can always find a job for someone,” Johnson said. “It might be a little harder to figure out what that job might be, but that’s a good challenge for a business owner.” Johnson is also excited about possibly mentoring high school students with disabilities to help them identify potential careers. “There are so many opportunities out there that parents are nervous for kids to go into the trades, because they think it’s going to be a dirty job,” he said. “All trades are an art and people can make great careers in the trades.” With an abundance of available jobs in the state, Johnson encourages businesses to connect with VR to help them meet their workforce needs. It has been a win-win for Northwest Auto Body. “Businesses should be there for everyone,” he said. “Some people have a few more hills to climb, but helping them be whatever they want to be, that makes a good business.” To learn more about VR, visit hhs.nd.gov/vr.

What a powerful week at the Bismarck Event Center! On Monday, Dec. 9, we kicked off with the Opioid Best Practice Summit, diving deep into effective strategies to combat the opioid crisis. On Tuesday, we continued the momentum with the Day for Prevention, focusing on substance misuse prevention. Thank you to the speakers and attendees who participated in these essential discussions - together, we’re making strides toward a healthier community. 

ND Licensed Veterinarians: You can APPLY NOW through Jan. 31, 2025, for up to $80,000 toward your unpaid student loans through ND's Veterinarian Loan Repayment Program. Preference is given to those providing veterinary services to food animals in rural ND. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gNr4Wz9x

A shout out goes to Steph Olson from our Williston Vocational Rehabilitation office for receiving the Exemplary Service Award for providing outstanding case service to clients through creative thinking, direct work with multiple agencies and consistent client follow-up. Congratulations! Learn more about Vocational Rehabilitation services for both businesses and people with disabilities at hhs.nd.gov/vr.

Register today to join us next week as stakeholders share strategies to address the opioid crisis and explore ways to enhance future efforts across the state:  https://lnkd.in/gEAtQwVk

Today, we would like to recognize several Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) team members for a job well done!   Team members in our Bismarck VR office recently received the Community Participation Award for their involvement in community activities. The Overall Team Achievement Award was presented to team members from the Grand Forks office for exceeding performance goals that promote engagement and success for individuals they serve.   The Swift Response Team Award was presented to the Minot and Grand Forks VR offices for providing timely services that meet the needs and expectations of clients.   Stacee Keller from our Central office was named Rookie of the Year. This award honors a VR employee who has less than two years of service, exceeds performance goals and displays a high level of community service and involvement.   The Pillar Award was presented to Adair Grommesh from our Fargo VR office for her contributions in helping individuals with disabilities to become employed.    Congratulations, everyone! Learn more about VR services for both businesses and people with disabilities at hhs.nd.gov/vr.

Today, we recognize team members Tyson Jorstad and Jennifer Reinke from our Fargo Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) office and Elton Lassiter from our Bismarck VR office for being recognized with the Award for Counselor Achievement - Honorable Mention for having the second highest number of clients to achieve employment. Congratulations! Learn how our VR team can help employers connect with qualified applicants to meet their workforce needs or retain quality employees at hhs.nd.gov/vr.

Congratulations to Mercedes Drechsel from our Fargo Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and Claude Robinson from our Jamestown VR office for receiving the Career Achievement – 100 Club Award. Each counselor has placed over 100 people with disabilities into employment opportunities over the course of their career. Learn more about VR services for both businesses and people with disabilities at hhs.nd.gov/vr.

We are so very grateful for the dedicated public health professionals who work to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities across our great state. Thank you for helping people enjoy better health. Happy Public Health Thank You Day! #PHTYD #PublicHealthHeroes