BISMARCK – Medicaid fraud charges have been filed against the former owner of a children’s and adolescent’s mental health facility that operated in Minot in 2020-2022, according to North Dakota court records.

A complaint filed in South Central District Court by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations states probable cause exists to believe Tera Campbell, of Knoxville, Tennessee, defrauded Medicaid of thousands of dollars through improper billing through The Olive Branch. She is scheduled for an initial appearance on the felony charge Aug. 19.

Campbell, formerly of Colorado, had operated an adolescent and children’s mental health facility headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In September 2020, she became licensed to practice Applied Behavior Analysis in North Dakota and received approval to receive Medicaid reimbursements. Her clinic opened in Minot in December 2020 and began seeing clients, mostly military dependents, according to information staff provided to BCI.

Campbell enrolled as an individual provider in Medicaid the following March through the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, which administers the state’s Medicaid program.

In October 2021, the North Dakota Medicaid Fraud Control unit became aware of insurance fraud concerns from a past employee of The Olive Branch. Allegations included billing for services not rendered, billing for more services than provided and billing for services from employees who were not registered with Medicaid or qualified to provide services.

An audit and review showed The Olive Branch submitted 73 claims covering services to eight Medicaid recipients between February 2021 and February 2022, totaling $421,171. The Olive Branch received reimbursements of $225,253 for these services, the court complaint stated.

A senior auditor reviewed 55 paid claims, of which 30 had dates of service within the review period. A 100% error rate was identified in the reviewed claims, totaling $185,665. Several claims listing Campbell as the rendering provider for in-person services coincided with dates when she was known to be traveling abroad or in Colorado.

Assistance provided by the investigative contractor for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid determined the services appeared to be more child care than Applied Behavior Analysis. Past employees also described the daily operations of the clinic as similar to a child care center.

Past employees also stated Campbell visited the clinic only twice, to open and close it. The complaint states Campbell currently works at mental health facilities in Tennessee and Florida.

North Dakota investigators worked with those in Wyoming, which led to a federal and multi-state investigation. A federal court case filed in Wyoming alleges fraud by Campbell and her daughter, Tayler Krauss, between December 2020 and October 2022.

The 19 separate counts against Campbell carry a maximum penalty of 174 years in prison and a $4.75 million fine. The 19 charges against Krauss carry a 134-year imprisonment and $4.25 million in fines.