We are pleased to announce that Heartview Foundation has been awarded the 2024 SuperGrant of $50,000. This critical funding will enable Heartview to expand its Opioid Treatment Program (OTP), the only one of its kind in Bismarck, to meet the increasing demand for opioid use disorder treatment in North Dakota.
Heartview Foundation, a leader in substance use disorder treatment since 1964, is committed to delivering quality care and education for individuals battling addiction. Over the past six decades, Heartview has served more than 31,000 patients and families from across the U.S. and Canada through a combination of residential, outpatient, and medication-assisted treatment programs. With locations in Bismarck, Cando, and Dickinson, Heartview currently provides treatment to over 500 individuals daily. In 2023 alone, Heartview served 1,199 clients, 70% of whom were Medicaid-eligible and most of whom lived below the poverty level.
The SuperGrant will allow Heartview Foundation to renovate and expand its existing OTP clinic in Bismarck. As the demand for opioid use disorder treatment surges, Heartview has seen the number of OTP patients increase from 150 in 2021 to 254 by the end of 2022, with over 100 patients entering the clinic daily. Due to its success in improving patients’ lives, many individuals are also staying in the program longer, contributing to the need for additional capacity. However, with its current space at capacity, the OTP clinic requires expansion to meet both existing demand and future growth.
This expansion will include reconfiguring treatment areas to allow two nurses to administer medications simultaneously, enhancing patient privacy, and installing a second methadone pump. Heartview will also expand its group meeting room, which currently only accommodates 9-10 individuals, and enlarge its waiting area where, on average, 30-40 patients and recovery coaches gather each morning.
“Our community faces a growing opioid crisis, and Heartview Foundation is uniquely positioned to make a meaningful difference in combating this issue,” said Kara Geiger, Development Director of the Bismarck-Mandan Community Foundation. “This SuperGrant will empower Heartview to scale its essential services, helping individuals and families find hope and stability on the path to recovery.”
Heartview’s OTP combines medication, counseling, and case management to treat opioid addiction comprehensively. Research consistently shows that medication-assisted treatment is an evidence-based approach for opioid use disorder, reducing mortality rates by about 50%, decreasing criminal behavior, and improving patients’ social functioning. The program’s impact is reflected in Heartview’s 2021-2022 survey data, showing a 70% employment rate among OTP patients one year after entering treatment, with marked improvements in mental health and income.
Beyond expanding its OTP facility, Heartview will continue working with community partners to provide a holistic approach to addiction recovery. This includes collaborating with Ministry on the Margins, local police, hospitals, and sober living facilities, as well as providing public education on medications for opioid use disorder to reduce the stigma surrounding addiction and recovery.
Heartview Foundation’s expanded facility will be sustained through ongoing donations and insurance reimbursements, ensuring the OTP program remains a vital community resource as North Dakota’s opioid crisis continues to evolve.