VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The North Dakota Department of Human Services is hosting an open house today (August 14th) at South Central Human Service Center’s new satellite office in Valley City. The public is invited to come and meet members of the behavioral health team from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the City-County Health District building at 415 Second Ave. N.E.

Since opening on June 4, 2018, staff members have provided about 50 medical appointments, and group and individual therapy and case management services to area residents.

On June 15, staff members began offering assessments to area residents. Individuals are connected to services quickly if they are in crisis or determined to have urgent behavioral health needs.

“Our goal is to serve people when they need help, so we are striving to be as flexible as we can be,” said Dan Cramer, director of South Central Human Service Center.

Right now, a therapist is on-site at least three days a week and a licensed addiction counselor is on-site one day a week. A second therapist also comes to the satellite office in Valley City to serve area residents.

Psychiatric services are available one day a week and are provided by either a staff psychiatrist in person or by telemedicine through the department’s collaboration with the psychiatry residency program at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences.