North Dakota State Hospital Receives Accreditation

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10-22-2010 North Dakota:

BISMARCK, N.D. - The North Dakota State Hospital, which is part of the N.D. Department of Human Services, received full Joint Commission Accreditation for its hospital and behavioral health care programs following on-site survey reviews in Jamestown, N.D., in May and August.

“The accreditation and certification for Medicare and Medicaid assures the public the State Hospital meets required standards for quality, patient safety, and the care environment,” said State Hospital Superintendent Alex Schweitzer.

He said commission reviewers commended hospital staff for the quality of care they provide daily to about 120 people receiving inpatient mental health and addiction treatment services. He said the hospital is providing treatment and evaluation services to about 59 patients in the secure services unit for civilly-committed sexually dangerous individuals, and provides addiction treatment services on-site to about 84 people who are under the care and supervision of the N.D. Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

North Dakota strives to serve people with disabilities in their communities. The State Hospital remains a safety-net for inpatient services for uninsured people with severe mental health and substance addiction needs.

Schweitzer said the State Hospital is the primary provider of inpatient mental health and addiction treatment services for the Devils Lake, Dickinson, Jamestown, and Williston regions of the state. Those regions do not have community hospitals that provide these important inpatient services, he said.

An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 18,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. ..Source.. by Heather Stefl, North Dakota Department of Human Services

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