CANDO, N.D.-After remaining empty for years, a Cando addiction treatment center will again provide help to an a region lacking easy access to recovery help. Employees began training at the 16-bed facility operated by the Bismarck-based Heartview Foundation on July 20. Most of the building needs to be furnished, and some construction will likely continue after it opens Monday, the center's director Marvis Doster said. Doster was previously the director of nursing and residential services at Heartview's Bismarck location, where she worked for more than 40 years. "It's just so very rewarding to see people recover from this illness, and there isn't a single day that's just like any other," Doster said. "What keeps bringing me back is that recovery."
Center for Solutions, the addiction treatment center previously located in the Cando building, closed in 2011 because to insurance reimbursement problems. The Dakota Medical Foundation in Fargo gave Heartview $262,500 so they could buy the building from the Towner County Medical Center, which acquired the building when it closed. The foundation will continue to assist Heartview through match grants and a funded grant writer, president Pat Traynor said. Traynor said he's had ties to Cando for years and happened to come across the building's opening in a Cando newspaper. Traynor, who has been with the foundation since 2000, said its primary role is to improve health and access to health care. Cando, a city of roughly 1,100 people located about 35 miles northwest of Devils Lake, has its mission because of the "documented need" for treatment centers, he said. "We thought it would be a treasure for the people of North Dakota to have a place where people could receive this treatment," Traynor said. "So we wanted to continue it." [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901044","attributes":{"alt":"Marvis Doster in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","style":"font-size: 13.0080003738403px; line-height: 20.0063037872314px;","title":"","width":"480"}}]]After meeting with Towner County Medical Center CEO Ivan Mitchell, the two started making calls to treatment providers around the state, asking if they'd be willing to take on an expansion. "It's no small undertaking, but we really wanted to work with a group that knew what they were doing and then could pull off that expansion," Traynor said. Bismarck Heartview Executive Director Kurt Snyder said the Cando opportunity was unexpected. "I would have to say it's really in large part due to the innovative approach of both the Towner County Medical Center and Dakota Medical Foundation. They invited us to come along and we accepted," Snyder said. Thirteen people make up the Heartview staff, but more will be hired, Doster said. Several people previously employed with Center for Solutions were eager to fill the positions available with Heartview, Mitchell said. "I know a lot of the people that used to work at the center when it was there were pretty excited that it was going to reopen doing the same thing," he said. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901046","attributes":{"alt":"Mitch Elsperger in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"302","title":"","width":"480"}}]]Mitch Elsperger was one of them. The Cando resident was a behavioral technician with Center for Solutions for four years. Elsperger heard about the facility's comeback after Mitchell asked him to be there when Heartview employees were given a tour. "It's great. The town is really excited to have it," he said. "It creates a lot of job opportunities. It's just a very worthwhile place to have." Residential care will be Cando's initial focus, but more services will follow. "It is kind of off the beaten path, here but it is a rich area for being able to offer services," she said. "It's so needed." Doster said she's already received several calls inquiring about when certain services will be available. Rural recovery A lack of treatment programs, child care and transportation are all obstacles when dealing with addiction in rural areas, Doster said. "No. 1 is access," Mitchell said. "Just having somewhere to send people for one. And then a lot of times, even if people need it, if it's not accessible, I think people just decide not to do it." Having a stable, supportive environment after treatment is also very important, Snyder said. Heartview's project director for technology Beth Stroup-Menge oversees the grant Heartview was given less than two years ago. That grant has allowed Heartview to create new communication outlets, as well as expand upon what they already started. Heartview's network-assisted recovery is a private social media site that allows treatment providers and clients to interact through chats, blogs and posts. In operation since 2013, results have been "very, very positive," Stroup-Menge said, with higher completion rates and less use of drugs and alcohol for those who chose to take part in the site. The online program offers a "wealth of information," Stroup-Menge said. "It's critical because right now there is a shortage of addiction services in the state of North Dakota," she said. "And particularly in the winter, but also for many individuals in rural North Dakota, just accessing services is very, very difficult." Portals for journaling and interacting with counselors that meet privacy standards are also in the works. Stroup-Menge said they're hoping to have them up and running within the next month. Whereas portals consist of more written and one-to-one communication between client and clinician, Heartview's telehealth ports offer visual and audio communication. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901047","attributes":{"alt":"The back porch at the addiction center in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","title":"","width":"480"}}]]The ports, which are now in use, allow crisis centers to initiate call-ins and consultations with Heartview. Clinical meetings between Bismarck and Cando locations will also occur via ports. Despite their use in clinics, ports are just now making their way into addiction treatment centers, Stroup-Menge said. Snyder said Heartview has "definitely been an early adopter of technology." "I've got to say we are pretty cutting edge," she said. The Cando center will use the technology already present in Bismarck as soon as it opens. "I love working with people. I love helping people and I love the challenges of integrating technology into helping people. I'm really excited about being able to reach out to rural areas," Stroup-Menge said.CANDO, N.D.-After remaining empty for years, a Cando addiction treatment center will again provide help to an a region lacking easy access to recovery help. Employees began training at the 16-bed facility operated by the Bismarck-based Heartview Foundation on July 20. Most of the building needs to be furnished, and some construction will likely continue after it opens Monday, the center's director Marvis Doster said. Doster was previously the director of nursing and residential services at Heartview's Bismarck location, where she worked for more than 40 years. "It's just so very rewarding to see people recover from this illness, and there isn't a single day that's just like any other," Doster said. "What keeps bringing me back is that recovery." [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901045","attributes":{"alt":"The new addiction center in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","title":"","width":"480"}}]]Center for Solutions, the addiction treatment center previously located in the Cando building, closed in 2011 because to insurance reimbursement problems. The Dakota Medical Foundation in Fargo gave Heartview $262,500 so they could buy the building from the Towner County Medical Center, which acquired the building when it closed. The foundation will continue to assist Heartview through match grants and a funded grant writer, president Pat Traynor said. Traynor said he's had ties to Cando for years and happened to come across the building's opening in a Cando newspaper. Traynor, who has been with the foundation since 2000, said its primary role is to improve health and access to health care. Cando, a city of roughly 1,100 people located about 35 miles northwest of Devils Lake, has its mission because of the "documented need" for treatment centers, he said. "We thought it would be a treasure for the people of North Dakota to have a place where people could receive this treatment," Traynor said. "So we wanted to continue it."
After meeting with Towner County Medical Center CEO Ivan Mitchell, the two started making calls to treatment providers around the state, asking if they'd be willing to take on an expansion. "It's no small undertaking, but we really wanted to work with a group that knew what they were doing and then could pull off that expansion," Traynor said. Bismarck Heartview Executive Director Kurt Snyder said the Cando opportunity was unexpected. "I would have to say it's really in large part due to the innovative approach of both the Towner County Medical Center and Dakota Medical Foundation. They invited us to come along and we accepted," Snyder said. Thirteen people make up the Heartview staff, but more will be hired, Doster said. Several people previously employed with Center for Solutions were eager to fill the positions available with Heartview, Mitchell said. "I know a lot of the people that used to work at the center when it was there were pretty excited that it was going to reopen doing the same thing," he said. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901046","attributes":{"alt":"Mitch Elsperger in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"302","title":"","width":"480"}}]]Mitch Elsperger was one of them. The Cando resident was a behavioral technician with Center for Solutions for four years. Elsperger heard about the facility's comeback after Mitchell asked him to be there when Heartview employees were given a tour. "It's great. The town is really excited to have it," he said. "It creates a lot of job opportunities. It's just a very worthwhile place to have." Residential care will be Cando's initial focus, but more services will follow. "It is kind of off the beaten path, here but it is a rich area for being able to offer services," she said. "It's so needed." Doster said she's already received several calls inquiring about when certain services will be available. Rural recovery A lack of treatment programs, child care and transportation are all obstacles when dealing with addiction in rural areas, Doster said. "No. 1 is access," Mitchell said. "Just having somewhere to send people for one. And then a lot of times, even if people need it, if it's not accessible, I think people just decide not to do it." Having a stable, supportive environment after treatment is also very important, Snyder said. Heartview's project director for technology Beth Stroup-Menge oversees the grant Heartview was given less than two years ago. That grant has allowed Heartview to create new communication outlets, as well as expand upon what they already started. Heartview's network-assisted recovery is a private social media site that allows treatment providers and clients to interact through chats, blogs and posts. In operation since 2013, results have been "very, very positive," Stroup-Menge said, with higher completion rates and less use of drugs and alcohol for those who chose to take part in the site. The online program offers a "wealth of information," Stroup-Menge said. "It's critical because right now there is a shortage of addiction services in the state of North Dakota," she said. "And particularly in the winter, but also for many individuals in rural North Dakota, just accessing services is very, very difficult." Portals for journaling and interacting with counselors that meet privacy standards are also in the works. Stroup-Menge said they're hoping to have them up and running within the next month. Whereas portals consist of more written and one-to-one communication between client and clinician, Heartview's telehealth ports offer visual and audio communication. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901047","attributes":{"alt":"The back porch at the addiction center in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","title":"","width":"480"}}]]The ports, which are now in use, allow crisis centers to initiate call-ins and consultations with Heartview. Clinical meetings between Bismarck and Cando locations will also occur via ports. Despite their use in clinics, ports are just now making their way into addiction treatment centers, Stroup-Menge said. Snyder said Heartview has "definitely been an early adopter of technology." "I've got to say we are pretty cutting edge," she said. The Cando center will use the technology already present in Bismarck as soon as it opens. "I love working with people. I love helping people and I love the challenges of integrating technology into helping people. I'm really excited about being able to reach out to rural areas," Stroup-Menge said.CANDO, N.D.-After remaining empty for years, a Cando addiction treatment center will again provide help to an a region lacking easy access to recovery help. Employees began training at the 16-bed facility operated by the Bismarck-based Heartview Foundation on July 20. Most of the building needs to be furnished, and some construction will likely continue after it opens Monday, the center's director Marvis Doster said. Doster was previously the director of nursing and residential services at Heartview's Bismarck location, where she worked for more than 40 years. "It's just so very rewarding to see people recover from this illness, and there isn't a single day that's just like any other," Doster said. "What keeps bringing me back is that recovery." [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901045","attributes":{"alt":"The new addiction center in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","title":"","width":"480"}}]]Center for Solutions, the addiction treatment center previously located in the Cando building, closed in 2011 because to insurance reimbursement problems. The Dakota Medical Foundation in Fargo gave Heartview $262,500 so they could buy the building from the Towner County Medical Center, which acquired the building when it closed. The foundation will continue to assist Heartview through match grants and a funded grant writer, president Pat Traynor said. Traynor said he's had ties to Cando for years and happened to come across the building's opening in a Cando newspaper. Traynor, who has been with the foundation since 2000, said its primary role is to improve health and access to health care. Cando, a city of roughly 1,100 people located about 35 miles northwest of Devils Lake, has its mission because of the "documented need" for treatment centers, he said. "We thought it would be a treasure for the people of North Dakota to have a place where people could receive this treatment," Traynor said. "So we wanted to continue it." [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901044","attributes":{"alt":"Marvis Doster in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","style":"font-size: 13.0080003738403px; line-height: 20.0063037872314px;","title":"","width":"480"}}]]After meeting with Towner County Medical Center CEO Ivan Mitchell, the two started making calls to treatment providers around the state, asking if they'd be willing to take on an expansion. "It's no small undertaking, but we really wanted to work with a group that knew what they were doing and then could pull off that expansion," Traynor said. Bismarck Heartview Executive Director Kurt Snyder said the Cando opportunity was unexpected. "I would have to say it's really in large part due to the innovative approach of both the Towner County Medical Center and Dakota Medical Foundation. They invited us to come along and we accepted," Snyder said. Thirteen people make up the Heartview staff, but more will be hired, Doster said. Several people previously employed with Center for Solutions were eager to fill the positions available with Heartview, Mitchell said. "I know a lot of the people that used to work at the center when it was there were pretty excited that it was going to reopen doing the same thing," he said.
Mitch Elsperger was one of them. The Cando resident was a behavioral technician with Center for Solutions for four years. Elsperger heard about the facility's comeback after Mitchell asked him to be there when Heartview employees were given a tour. "It's great. The town is really excited to have it," he said. "It creates a lot of job opportunities. It's just a very worthwhile place to have." Residential care will be Cando's initial focus, but more services will follow. "It is kind of off the beaten path, here but it is a rich area for being able to offer services," she said. "It's so needed." Doster said she's already received several calls inquiring about when certain services will be available. Rural recovery A lack of treatment programs, child care and transportation are all obstacles when dealing with addiction in rural areas, Doster said. "No. 1 is access," Mitchell said. "Just having somewhere to send people for one. And then a lot of times, even if people need it, if it's not accessible, I think people just decide not to do it." Having a stable, supportive environment after treatment is also very important, Snyder said. Heartview's project director for technology Beth Stroup-Menge oversees the grant Heartview was given less than two years ago. That grant has allowed Heartview to create new communication outlets, as well as expand upon what they already started. Heartview's network-assisted recovery is a private social media site that allows treatment providers and clients to interact through chats, blogs and posts. In operation since 2013, results have been "very, very positive," Stroup-Menge said, with higher completion rates and less use of drugs and alcohol for those who chose to take part in the site. The online program offers a "wealth of information," Stroup-Menge said. "It's critical because right now there is a shortage of addiction services in the state of North Dakota," she said. "And particularly in the winter, but also for many individuals in rural North Dakota, just accessing services is very, very difficult." Portals for journaling and interacting with counselors that meet privacy standards are also in the works. Stroup-Menge said they're hoping to have them up and running within the next month. Whereas portals consist of more written and one-to-one communication between client and clinician, Heartview's telehealth ports offer visual and audio communication. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901047","attributes":{"alt":"The back porch at the addiction center in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","title":"","width":"480"}}]]The ports, which are now in use, allow crisis centers to initiate call-ins and consultations with Heartview. Clinical meetings between Bismarck and Cando locations will also occur via ports. Despite their use in clinics, ports are just now making their way into addiction treatment centers, Stroup-Menge said. Snyder said Heartview has "definitely been an early adopter of technology." "I've got to say we are pretty cutting edge," she said. The Cando center will use the technology already present in Bismarck as soon as it opens. "I love working with people. I love helping people and I love the challenges of integrating technology into helping people. I'm really excited about being able to reach out to rural areas," Stroup-Menge said.CANDO, N.D.-After remaining empty for years, a Cando addiction treatment center will again provide help to an a region lacking easy access to recovery help. Employees began training at the 16-bed facility operated by the Bismarck-based Heartview Foundation on July 20. Most of the building needs to be furnished, and some construction will likely continue after it opens Monday, the center's director Marvis Doster said. Doster was previously the director of nursing and residential services at Heartview's Bismarck location, where she worked for more than 40 years. "It's just so very rewarding to see people recover from this illness, and there isn't a single day that's just like any other," Doster said. "What keeps bringing me back is that recovery." [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901045","attributes":{"alt":"The new addiction center in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","title":"","width":"480"}}]]Center for Solutions, the addiction treatment center previously located in the Cando building, closed in 2011 because to insurance reimbursement problems. The Dakota Medical Foundation in Fargo gave Heartview $262,500 so they could buy the building from the Towner County Medical Center, which acquired the building when it closed. The foundation will continue to assist Heartview through match grants and a funded grant writer, president Pat Traynor said. Traynor said he's had ties to Cando for years and happened to come across the building's opening in a Cando newspaper. Traynor, who has been with the foundation since 2000, said its primary role is to improve health and access to health care. Cando, a city of roughly 1,100 people located about 35 miles northwest of Devils Lake, has its mission because of the "documented need" for treatment centers, he said. "We thought it would be a treasure for the people of North Dakota to have a place where people could receive this treatment," Traynor said. "So we wanted to continue it." [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901044","attributes":{"alt":"Marvis Doster in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","style":"font-size: 13.0080003738403px; line-height: 20.0063037872314px;","title":"","width":"480"}}]]After meeting with Towner County Medical Center CEO Ivan Mitchell, the two started making calls to treatment providers around the state, asking if they'd be willing to take on an expansion. "It's no small undertaking, but we really wanted to work with a group that knew what they were doing and then could pull off that expansion," Traynor said. Bismarck Heartview Executive Director Kurt Snyder said the Cando opportunity was unexpected. "I would have to say it's really in large part due to the innovative approach of both the Towner County Medical Center and Dakota Medical Foundation. They invited us to come along and we accepted," Snyder said. Thirteen people make up the Heartview staff, but more will be hired, Doster said. Several people previously employed with Center for Solutions were eager to fill the positions available with Heartview, Mitchell said. "I know a lot of the people that used to work at the center when it was there were pretty excited that it was going to reopen doing the same thing," he said. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901046","attributes":{"alt":"Mitch Elsperger in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"302","title":"","width":"480"}}]]Mitch Elsperger was one of them. The Cando resident was a behavioral technician with Center for Solutions for four years. Elsperger heard about the facility's comeback after Mitchell asked him to be there when Heartview employees were given a tour. "It's great. The town is really excited to have it," he said. "It creates a lot of job opportunities. It's just a very worthwhile place to have." Residential care will be Cando's initial focus, but more services will follow. "It is kind of off the beaten path, here but it is a rich area for being able to offer services," she said. "It's so needed." Doster said she's already received several calls inquiring about when certain services will be available. Rural recovery A lack of treatment programs, child care and transportation are all obstacles when dealing with addiction in rural areas, Doster said. "No. 1 is access," Mitchell said. "Just having somewhere to send people for one. And then a lot of times, even if people need it, if it's not accessible, I think people just decide not to do it." Having a stable, supportive environment after treatment is also very important, Snyder said. Heartview's project director for technology Beth Stroup-Menge oversees the grant Heartview was given less than two years ago. That grant has allowed Heartview to create new communication outlets, as well as expand upon what they already started. Heartview's network-assisted recovery is a private social media site that allows treatment providers and clients to interact through chats, blogs and posts. In operation since 2013, results have been "very, very positive," Stroup-Menge said, with higher completion rates and less use of drugs and alcohol for those who chose to take part in the site. The online program offers a "wealth of information," Stroup-Menge said. "It's critical because right now there is a shortage of addiction services in the state of North Dakota," she said. "And particularly in the winter, but also for many individuals in rural North Dakota, just accessing services is very, very difficult." Portals for journaling and interacting with counselors that meet privacy standards are also in the works. Stroup-Menge said they're hoping to have them up and running within the next month. Whereas portals consist of more written and one-to-one communication between client and clinician, Heartview's telehealth ports offer visual and audio communication.
The ports, which are now in use, allow crisis centers to initiate call-ins and consultations with Heartview. Clinical meetings between Bismarck and Cando locations will also occur via ports. Despite their use in clinics, ports are just now making their way into addiction treatment centers, Stroup-Menge said. Snyder said Heartview has "definitely been an early adopter of technology." "I've got to say we are pretty cutting edge," she said. The Cando center will use the technology already present in Bismarck as soon as it opens. "I love working with people. I love helping people and I love the challenges of integrating technology into helping people. I'm really excited about being able to reach out to rural areas," Stroup-Menge said.CANDO, N.D.-After remaining empty for years, a Cando addiction treatment center will again provide help to an a region lacking easy access to recovery help.Employees began training at the 16-bed facility operated by the Bismarck-based Heartview Foundation on July 20. Most of the building needs to be furnished, and some construction will likely continue after it opens Monday, the center's director Marvis Doster said.Doster was previously the director of nursing and residential services at Heartview's Bismarck location, where she worked for more than 40 years."It's just so very rewarding to see people recover from this illness, and there isn't a single day that's just like any other," Doster said. "What keeps bringing me back is that recovery."
Center for Solutions, the addiction treatment center previously located in the Cando building, closed in 2011 because to insurance reimbursement problems.The Dakota Medical Foundation in Fargo gave Heartview $262,500 so they could buy the building from the Towner County Medical Center, which acquired the building when it closed.The foundation will continue to assist Heartview through match grants and a funded grant writer, president Pat Traynor said.Traynor said he's had ties to Cando for years and happened to come across the building's opening in a Cando newspaper.Traynor, who has been with the foundation since 2000, said its primary role is to improve health and access to health care. Cando, a city of roughly 1,100 people located about 35 miles northwest of Devils Lake, has its mission because of the "documented need" for treatment centers, he said."We thought it would be a treasure for the people of North Dakota to have a place where people could receive this treatment," Traynor said. "So we wanted to continue it."[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901044","attributes":{"alt":"Marvis Doster in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","style":"font-size: 13.0080003738403px; line-height: 20.0063037872314px;","title":"","width":"480"}}]]After meeting with Towner County Medical Center CEO Ivan Mitchell, the two started making calls to treatment providers around the state, asking if they'd be willing to take on an expansion."It's no small undertaking, but we really wanted to work with a group that knew what they were doing and then could pull off that expansion," Traynor said.Bismarck Heartview Executive Director Kurt Snyder said the Cando opportunity was unexpected."I would have to say it's really in large part due to the innovative approach of both the Towner County Medical Center and Dakota Medical Foundation. They invited us to come along and we accepted," Snyder said.Thirteen people make up the Heartview staff, but more will be hired, Doster said.Several people previously employed with Center for Solutions were eager to fill the positions available with Heartview, Mitchell said."I know a lot of the people that used to work at the center when it was there were pretty excited that it was going to reopen doing the same thing," he said.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901046","attributes":{"alt":"Mitch Elsperger in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"302","title":"","width":"480"}}]]Mitch Elsperger was one of them. The Cando resident was a behavioral technician with Center for Solutions for four years.Elsperger heard about the facility's comeback after Mitchell asked him to be there when Heartview employees were given a tour."It's great. The town is really excited to have it," he said. "It creates a lot of job opportunities. It's just a very worthwhile place to have."Residential care will be Cando's initial focus, but more services will follow."It is kind of off the beaten path, here but it is a rich area for being able to offer services," she said. "It's so needed."Doster said she's already received several calls inquiring about when certain services will be available.Rural recoveryA lack of treatment programs, child care and transportation are all obstacles when dealing with addiction in rural areas, Doster said."No. 1 is access," Mitchell said. "Just having somewhere to send people for one. And then a lot of times, even if people need it, if it's not accessible, I think people just decide not to do it."Having a stable, supportive environment after treatment is also very important, Snyder said.Heartview's project director for technology Beth Stroup-Menge oversees the grant Heartview was given less than two years ago. That grant has allowed Heartview to create new communication outlets, as well as expand upon what they already started.Heartview's network-assisted recovery is a private social media site that allows treatment providers and clients to interact through chats, blogs and posts. In operation since 2013, results have been "very, very positive," Stroup-Menge said, with higher completion rates and less use of drugs and alcohol for those who chose to take part in the site.The online program offers a "wealth of information," Stroup-Menge said."It's critical because right now there is a shortage of addiction services in the state of North Dakota," she said. "And particularly in the winter, but also for many individuals in rural North Dakota, just accessing services is very, very difficult."Portals for journaling and interacting with counselors that meet privacy standards are also in the works. Stroup-Menge said they're hoping to have them up and running within the next month.Whereas portals consist of more written and one-to-one communication between client and clinician, Heartview's telehealth ports offer visual and audio communication.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901047","attributes":{"alt":"The back porch at the addiction center in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","title":"","width":"480"}}]]The ports, which are now in use, allow crisis centers to initiate call-ins and consultations with Heartview. Clinical meetings between Bismarck and Cando locations will also occur via ports.Despite their use in clinics, ports are just now making their way into addiction treatment centers, Stroup-Menge said.Snyder said Heartview has "definitely been an early adopter of technology.""I've got to say we are pretty cutting edge," she said.The Cando center will use the technology already present in Bismarck as soon as it opens."I love working with people. I love helping people and I love the challenges of integrating technology into helping people. I'm really excited about being able to reach out to rural areas," Stroup-Menge said.CANDO, N.D.-After remaining empty for years, a Cando addiction treatment center will again provide help to an a region lacking easy access to recovery help.Employees began training at the 16-bed facility operated by the Bismarck-based Heartview Foundation on July 20. Most of the building needs to be furnished, and some construction will likely continue after it opens Monday, the center's director Marvis Doster said.Doster was previously the director of nursing and residential services at Heartview's Bismarck location, where she worked for more than 40 years."It's just so very rewarding to see people recover from this illness, and there isn't a single day that's just like any other," Doster said. "What keeps bringing me back is that recovery."[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901045","attributes":{"alt":"The new addiction center in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","title":"","width":"480"}}]]Center for Solutions, the addiction treatment center previously located in the Cando building, closed in 2011 because to insurance reimbursement problems.The Dakota Medical Foundation in Fargo gave Heartview $262,500 so they could buy the building from the Towner County Medical Center, which acquired the building when it closed.The foundation will continue to assist Heartview through match grants and a funded grant writer, president Pat Traynor said.Traynor said he's had ties to Cando for years and happened to come across the building's opening in a Cando newspaper.Traynor, who has been with the foundation since 2000, said its primary role is to improve health and access to health care. Cando, a city of roughly 1,100 people located about 35 miles northwest of Devils Lake, has its mission because of the "documented need" for treatment centers, he said."We thought it would be a treasure for the people of North Dakota to have a place where people could receive this treatment," Traynor said. "So we wanted to continue it."
After meeting with Towner County Medical Center CEO Ivan Mitchell, the two started making calls to treatment providers around the state, asking if they'd be willing to take on an expansion."It's no small undertaking, but we really wanted to work with a group that knew what they were doing and then could pull off that expansion," Traynor said.Bismarck Heartview Executive Director Kurt Snyder said the Cando opportunity was unexpected."I would have to say it's really in large part due to the innovative approach of both the Towner County Medical Center and Dakota Medical Foundation. They invited us to come along and we accepted," Snyder said.Thirteen people make up the Heartview staff, but more will be hired, Doster said.Several people previously employed with Center for Solutions were eager to fill the positions available with Heartview, Mitchell said."I know a lot of the people that used to work at the center when it was there were pretty excited that it was going to reopen doing the same thing," he said.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901046","attributes":{"alt":"Mitch Elsperger in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"302","title":"","width":"480"}}]]Mitch Elsperger was one of them. The Cando resident was a behavioral technician with Center for Solutions for four years.Elsperger heard about the facility's comeback after Mitchell asked him to be there when Heartview employees were given a tour."It's great. The town is really excited to have it," he said. "It creates a lot of job opportunities. It's just a very worthwhile place to have."Residential care will be Cando's initial focus, but more services will follow."It is kind of off the beaten path, here but it is a rich area for being able to offer services," she said. "It's so needed."Doster said she's already received several calls inquiring about when certain services will be available.Rural recoveryA lack of treatment programs, child care and transportation are all obstacles when dealing with addiction in rural areas, Doster said."No. 1 is access," Mitchell said. "Just having somewhere to send people for one. And then a lot of times, even if people need it, if it's not accessible, I think people just decide not to do it."Having a stable, supportive environment after treatment is also very important, Snyder said.Heartview's project director for technology Beth Stroup-Menge oversees the grant Heartview was given less than two years ago. That grant has allowed Heartview to create new communication outlets, as well as expand upon what they already started.Heartview's network-assisted recovery is a private social media site that allows treatment providers and clients to interact through chats, blogs and posts. In operation since 2013, results have been "very, very positive," Stroup-Menge said, with higher completion rates and less use of drugs and alcohol for those who chose to take part in the site.The online program offers a "wealth of information," Stroup-Menge said."It's critical because right now there is a shortage of addiction services in the state of North Dakota," she said. "And particularly in the winter, but also for many individuals in rural North Dakota, just accessing services is very, very difficult."Portals for journaling and interacting with counselors that meet privacy standards are also in the works. Stroup-Menge said they're hoping to have them up and running within the next month.Whereas portals consist of more written and one-to-one communication between client and clinician, Heartview's telehealth ports offer visual and audio communication.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901047","attributes":{"alt":"The back porch at the addiction center in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","title":"","width":"480"}}]]The ports, which are now in use, allow crisis centers to initiate call-ins and consultations with Heartview. Clinical meetings between Bismarck and Cando locations will also occur via ports.Despite their use in clinics, ports are just now making their way into addiction treatment centers, Stroup-Menge said.Snyder said Heartview has "definitely been an early adopter of technology.""I've got to say we are pretty cutting edge," she said.The Cando center will use the technology already present in Bismarck as soon as it opens."I love working with people. I love helping people and I love the challenges of integrating technology into helping people. I'm really excited about being able to reach out to rural areas," Stroup-Menge said.CANDO, N.D.-After remaining empty for years, a Cando addiction treatment center will again provide help to an a region lacking easy access to recovery help.Employees began training at the 16-bed facility operated by the Bismarck-based Heartview Foundation on July 20. Most of the building needs to be furnished, and some construction will likely continue after it opens Monday, the center's director Marvis Doster said.Doster was previously the director of nursing and residential services at Heartview's Bismarck location, where she worked for more than 40 years."It's just so very rewarding to see people recover from this illness, and there isn't a single day that's just like any other," Doster said. "What keeps bringing me back is that recovery."[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901045","attributes":{"alt":"The new addiction center in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","title":"","width":"480"}}]]Center for Solutions, the addiction treatment center previously located in the Cando building, closed in 2011 because to insurance reimbursement problems.The Dakota Medical Foundation in Fargo gave Heartview $262,500 so they could buy the building from the Towner County Medical Center, which acquired the building when it closed.The foundation will continue to assist Heartview through match grants and a funded grant writer, president Pat Traynor said.Traynor said he's had ties to Cando for years and happened to come across the building's opening in a Cando newspaper.Traynor, who has been with the foundation since 2000, said its primary role is to improve health and access to health care. Cando, a city of roughly 1,100 people located about 35 miles northwest of Devils Lake, has its mission because of the "documented need" for treatment centers, he said."We thought it would be a treasure for the people of North Dakota to have a place where people could receive this treatment," Traynor said. "So we wanted to continue it."[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901044","attributes":{"alt":"Marvis Doster in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","style":"font-size: 13.0080003738403px; line-height: 20.0063037872314px;","title":"","width":"480"}}]]After meeting with Towner County Medical Center CEO Ivan Mitchell, the two started making calls to treatment providers around the state, asking if they'd be willing to take on an expansion."It's no small undertaking, but we really wanted to work with a group that knew what they were doing and then could pull off that expansion," Traynor said.Bismarck Heartview Executive Director Kurt Snyder said the Cando opportunity was unexpected."I would have to say it's really in large part due to the innovative approach of both the Towner County Medical Center and Dakota Medical Foundation. They invited us to come along and we accepted," Snyder said.Thirteen people make up the Heartview staff, but more will be hired, Doster said.Several people previously employed with Center for Solutions were eager to fill the positions available with Heartview, Mitchell said."I know a lot of the people that used to work at the center when it was there were pretty excited that it was going to reopen doing the same thing," he said.
Mitch Elsperger was one of them. The Cando resident was a behavioral technician with Center for Solutions for four years.Elsperger heard about the facility's comeback after Mitchell asked him to be there when Heartview employees were given a tour."It's great. The town is really excited to have it," he said. "It creates a lot of job opportunities. It's just a very worthwhile place to have."Residential care will be Cando's initial focus, but more services will follow."It is kind of off the beaten path, here but it is a rich area for being able to offer services," she said. "It's so needed."Doster said she's already received several calls inquiring about when certain services will be available.Rural recoveryA lack of treatment programs, child care and transportation are all obstacles when dealing with addiction in rural areas, Doster said."No. 1 is access," Mitchell said. "Just having somewhere to send people for one. And then a lot of times, even if people need it, if it's not accessible, I think people just decide not to do it."Having a stable, supportive environment after treatment is also very important, Snyder said.Heartview's project director for technology Beth Stroup-Menge oversees the grant Heartview was given less than two years ago. That grant has allowed Heartview to create new communication outlets, as well as expand upon what they already started.Heartview's network-assisted recovery is a private social media site that allows treatment providers and clients to interact through chats, blogs and posts. In operation since 2013, results have been "very, very positive," Stroup-Menge said, with higher completion rates and less use of drugs and alcohol for those who chose to take part in the site.The online program offers a "wealth of information," Stroup-Menge said."It's critical because right now there is a shortage of addiction services in the state of North Dakota," she said. "And particularly in the winter, but also for many individuals in rural North Dakota, just accessing services is very, very difficult."Portals for journaling and interacting with counselors that meet privacy standards are also in the works. Stroup-Menge said they're hoping to have them up and running within the next month.Whereas portals consist of more written and one-to-one communication between client and clinician, Heartview's telehealth ports offer visual and audio communication.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901047","attributes":{"alt":"The back porch at the addiction center in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","title":"","width":"480"}}]]The ports, which are now in use, allow crisis centers to initiate call-ins and consultations with Heartview. Clinical meetings between Bismarck and Cando locations will also occur via ports.Despite their use in clinics, ports are just now making their way into addiction treatment centers, Stroup-Menge said.Snyder said Heartview has "definitely been an early adopter of technology.""I've got to say we are pretty cutting edge," she said.The Cando center will use the technology already present in Bismarck as soon as it opens."I love working with people. I love helping people and I love the challenges of integrating technology into helping people. I'm really excited about being able to reach out to rural areas," Stroup-Menge said.CANDO, N.D.-After remaining empty for years, a Cando addiction treatment center will again provide help to an a region lacking easy access to recovery help.Employees began training at the 16-bed facility operated by the Bismarck-based Heartview Foundation on July 20. Most of the building needs to be furnished, and some construction will likely continue after it opens Monday, the center's director Marvis Doster said.Doster was previously the director of nursing and residential services at Heartview's Bismarck location, where she worked for more than 40 years."It's just so very rewarding to see people recover from this illness, and there isn't a single day that's just like any other," Doster said. "What keeps bringing me back is that recovery."[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901045","attributes":{"alt":"The new addiction center in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","title":"","width":"480"}}]]Center for Solutions, the addiction treatment center previously located in the Cando building, closed in 2011 because to insurance reimbursement problems.The Dakota Medical Foundation in Fargo gave Heartview $262,500 so they could buy the building from the Towner County Medical Center, which acquired the building when it closed.The foundation will continue to assist Heartview through match grants and a funded grant writer, president Pat Traynor said.Traynor said he's had ties to Cando for years and happened to come across the building's opening in a Cando newspaper.Traynor, who has been with the foundation since 2000, said its primary role is to improve health and access to health care. Cando, a city of roughly 1,100 people located about 35 miles northwest of Devils Lake, has its mission because of the "documented need" for treatment centers, he said."We thought it would be a treasure for the people of North Dakota to have a place where people could receive this treatment," Traynor said. "So we wanted to continue it."[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901044","attributes":{"alt":"Marvis Doster in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"320","style":"font-size: 13.0080003738403px; line-height: 20.0063037872314px;","title":"","width":"480"}}]]After meeting with Towner County Medical Center CEO Ivan Mitchell, the two started making calls to treatment providers around the state, asking if they'd be willing to take on an expansion."It's no small undertaking, but we really wanted to work with a group that knew what they were doing and then could pull off that expansion," Traynor said.Bismarck Heartview Executive Director Kurt Snyder said the Cando opportunity was unexpected."I would have to say it's really in large part due to the innovative approach of both the Towner County Medical Center and Dakota Medical Foundation. They invited us to come along and we accepted," Snyder said.Thirteen people make up the Heartview staff, but more will be hired, Doster said.Several people previously employed with Center for Solutions were eager to fill the positions available with Heartview, Mitchell said."I know a lot of the people that used to work at the center when it was there were pretty excited that it was going to reopen doing the same thing," he said.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"1901046","attributes":{"alt":"Mitch Elsperger in Cando, ND on Thursday July 23, 2015. (Grand Forks Herald/ Joshua Komer)","class":"media-image","height":"302","title":"","width":"480"}}]]Mitch Elsperger was one of them. The Cando resident was a behavioral technician with Center for Solutions for four years.Elsperger heard about the facility's comeback after Mitchell asked him to be there when Heartview employees were given a tour."It's great. The town is really excited to have it," he said. "It creates a lot of job opportunities. It's just a very worthwhile place to have."Residential care will be Cando's initial focus, but more services will follow."It is kind of off the beaten path, here but it is a rich area for being able to offer services," she said. "It's so needed."Doster said she's already received several calls inquiring about when certain services will be available.Rural recoveryA lack of treatment programs, child care and transportation are all obstacles when dealing with addiction in rural areas, Doster said."No. 1 is access," Mitchell said. "Just having somewhere to send people for one. And then a lot of times, even if people need it, if it's not accessible, I think people just decide not to do it."Having a stable, supportive environment after treatment is also very important, Snyder said.Heartview's project director for technology Beth Stroup-Menge oversees the grant Heartview was given less than two years ago. That grant has allowed Heartview to create new communication outlets, as well as expand upon what they already started.Heartview's network-assisted recovery is a private social media site that allows treatment providers and clients to interact through chats, blogs and posts. In operation since 2013, results have been "very, very positive," Stroup-Menge said, with higher completion rates and less use of drugs and alcohol for those who chose to take part in the site.The online program offers a "wealth of information," Stroup-Menge said."It's critical because right now there is a shortage of addiction services in the state of North Dakota," she said. "And particularly in the winter, but also for many individuals in rural North Dakota, just accessing services is very, very difficult."Portals for journaling and interacting with counselors that meet privacy standards are also in the works. Stroup-Menge said they're hoping to have them up and running within the next month.Whereas portals consist of more written and one-to-one communication between client and clinician, Heartview's telehealth ports offer visual and audio communication.
The ports, which are now in use, allow crisis centers to initiate call-ins and consultations with Heartview. Clinical meetings between Bismarck and Cando locations will also occur via ports.Despite their use in clinics, ports are just now making their way into addiction treatment centers, Stroup-Menge said.Snyder said Heartview has "definitely been an early adopter of technology.""I've got to say we are pretty cutting edge," she said.The Cando center will use the technology already present in Bismarck as soon as it opens."I love working with people. I love helping people and I love the challenges of integrating technology into helping people. I'm really excited about being able to reach out to rural areas," Stroup-Menge said.
