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ND certifies two shelter care facilities 

Minot shelter yet to apply for certification

BISMARCK – North Dakota recently gained its first two certified shelter care sites for children and youth, and both are in western North Dakota, according to the North Dakota Department of Human Services.

Sunrise Youth Bureau in Dickinson and Northwest Youth Assessment Center in Williston received grant funds and state certification in July as shelter care providers for children ages 10-17.

In February 2022, the Human Services Department announced $1.5 million in grant funds and invited current and prospective shelter care service providers to apply for up to $150,000 each in funding to establish a certified shelter care program or enhance their existing services and facilities to meet certification and safety requirements.

Youthworks locations in Bismarck, Fargo and Minot applied for and received grant funds earlier this year, and the Bismarck and Fargo locations applied for certification the week of Aug. 1. 

Services have been suspended in Minot as Youthworks looks to relocate to a larger building.

“Youthworks will finalize the purchase of a new property in Minot in the coming weeks,” Youthworks Development Director Emily Yanish said in a news release. “This location will meet the safety requirements of a shelter care location, and we look forward to submitting a formal certification application to the department very quickly. It is our goal to resume shelter care services in the region as soon as possible.”

Cory Pedersen, director of the Human Services Department’s Children & Family Services Division, said Monday the department is ready to act on a Minot application once submitted.

“We think we can turn it around very quickly. I’ve got a good team ready to go up to Minot,” he said. “We want to turn this around as soon as possible and add to the resources in the Minot community.”

He noted it took only six days to certify the Williston site.

Youth shelter programs managed by private agencies had the first seven months in 2022 to meet certification requirements and comply with state law. Programs not certified by Aug. 1 can continue to serve youth; however, they are no longer eligible to receive reimbursement from a human service zone or the North Dakota Department of Human Services until they become certified.

Youthworks’ existing shelters in Bismarck and Fargo are in operation without certification. The state expects those two sites to be certified in a week or two. The state also is working with Grand Forks County to certify its county-operated shelter, which remains open without certification.

Certified shelter care providers offer temporary safe beds for up to  seven days to children and youth during a family crisis. Often the children or youth may have run away or experienced domestic violence or conflict in the home.

The use of certified temporary shelter care can prevent foster care placements by addressing immediate needs while supports and services are put in place for families. These services support child safety and well-being and help strengthen and stabilize families, according to the Department of Human Services.

In the past, it often was required that a child be in the custody of an agency to receive shelter care.

“We had to remove them from their parents’ custody, give them to an agency, so they could access a service,” Pedersen said. “What we’re trying to do is make sure these are safe places for kids. They don’t have to be given to an agency for custody, for foster care, but more of a community resource to keep kids safe without having governmental agencies take over their family.”

Also, to become certified under the new rules, a facility must provide areas and staff for sheltered children and youth that are separate from those for delinquent youth in attendant care. The shelter facility used by Youthworks in Minot was too small to accommodate that separation, contributing to the need for a new facility.

Ward County Sheriff Robert Roed said law enforcement has lacked access to attendant care for delinquent youth since Youthworks stopped services Aug. 1. Law enforcement officials plan to meet with Youthworks to discuss options to fill the gap until the new facility opens. 

In the meantime, law agencies have been seeking their own solutions for the youth.

“We have to be creative and try to find somebody we can turn them over to,” Roed said. Often that is a family member, but in instances in which a youth might not have family in the area, it can require officer supervision.

“That can take people off the road for us,” he said.

Pedersen said new laws on certification and juvenile justice reform together are driving systemic change in how care is provided to North Dakota youth. The best solution to ensuring resources for children and youth, though, remains one in which cities, counties and the state work together, he said.

The Department of Human Services budgeted for 10 grants to help shelters become certified and still has about $750,000 in grant funding available for five more interested shelter care providers. Funds can be used for start-up costs, such as initial operating costs, construction, remodeling, payroll, training, staffing ratios and related costs associated with meeting certification standards.

Interested nonprofit and for-profit entities, including agencies operating under tribal nations in North Dakota, can apply. For details about grant funding, visit the Children & Family Services Division’s webpage. 

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