[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6380530,"mediaKeyId","2131246-85871bc68133c03a0bbe370760324402","parentId",2131246,"title","Disability Determination Services reports backlog pressures, maintains high accuracy despite rising receipts","audioSeconds",1605,"startMs",8065000,"endMs",9670000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2131246-85871bc68133c03a0bbe370760324402&start=8065&end=9670","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2131246-85871bc68133c03a0bbe370760324402/thumbnail_8065000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6380530/North-Dakota/Disability-Determination-Services-reports-backlog-pressures-maintains-high-accuracy-despite-rising-receipts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6380530-e18ae85749e88bcb2a02801a819d27f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213348&Signature=aqAcA5IHQxriVe2E9xptPgokbBBiVY4PF9iEljBv7khaPHeykr0f73WYp6~d3sIkf6UkvXfVjGu50Gi3FKk5tVzsqQiL53hDQAwSlwaa5dfBNQeJbJ1xoNsWW4Eae1w39ijqe5OODyGuQOLTiCc2LuaGKbJTJ8qtgYt0pDMJJswXE9EO8t56bjRVT6SaJf2bWpraE9S4hYCsnSUArRhzSOr5EHPU4awpDYTmsgsMoABMIPyeDa5aPxqrIOOtWKmrjoMiEfALaKV6jYI3gIgkBNuZlmi5~dBLfKpv3RruF8VlhZwP-CX5SnuJNWKzhOcdtmmsUZXjoLsBM1WJ5v9KVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House Appropriations - Human Resources Division, ND","date","2025-01-17T00:00:00Z","article","Sherry Seil, director of the Disability Determination Section (DDS), told the House Appropriations Committee’s Human Resources Division the DDS continues to face increased workload and a backlog of initial Social Security disability claims while maintaining strong quality review outcomes.

Seil said the DDS determines medical eligibility for Social Security disability claims filed in North Dakota using Social Security Administration rules. The DDS (100% federally funded) adjudicates initial claims, reconsiderations and continuing disability reviews; its staff includes 23 funded positions, three current vacancies and one temporary staff member aiding case processing.

Quality and processing: Seil told the committee the DDS’s accuracy on SSA’s sampled quarterly initial-claim review was 97.7% in the most recent reporting period, above the agency performance threshold cited (about 90.6%). She said the DDS’s average processing time, once a case is assigned for adjudication, is about 68 days. The section relies on contracted medical consultants (five physician contracts) to review medical evidence and concur on medical determinations when required.

Workload drivers and staffing: Seil said the initial-claim receipts rose materially in recent years: a roughly 12% increase in federal fiscal 2023 and about a 5% increase in 2024. The higher receipts have contributed to an initial-claims backlog, she said. The DDS also operates a cooperative disability investigations (CDI) unit that includes a DDS staff member working with the attorney general’s office and SSA to investigate suspected fraud.

Budget impacts: Seil said the DDS’s proposed biennial budget increase is about $624,000, primarily driven by the governor’s compensation package and built-in salary and benefit increases rather than new positions. She said the DDS is not requesting additional FTE authority in the package presented to the committee.

Operational notes: Seil described training and quality controls—new claims analysts receive initial training (about 13 weeks) and continue learning with supervisory and QA review. She said the DDS continues to use overtime, temporary staffing and targeted hires to manage peaks in workload when Social Security provides funding authority.

Ending: Seil told the committee she would supply further detail on some data points if requested; the presentation concluded without a committee appropriation action for DDS during the session.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Appropriations - Human Resources Division Jan 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Sherry Seil, director of the state Disability Determination Section, briefed the appropriations committee on workload, staffing and a rising backlog of initial Social Security disability claims while reporting a high quality score on sampled decisions.","taxTitle","Appropriations - Human Resources Division, House of Representatives, Legislative, North Dakota","taxId",28888,"location","North Dakota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6380543,"State DD Council asks appropriations panel to fund new staff, will reallocate some federal grants",2878,397000,3275000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2131246-85871bc68133c03a0bbe370760324402&start=397&end=3275","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2131246-85871bc68133c03a0bbe370760324402/thumbnail_397000.jpg","/articles/6380543/North-Dakota/State-DD-Council-asks-appropriations-panel-to-fund-new-staff-will-reallocate-some-federal-grants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6380543-21c2795079cd7778e8015a552aa541a2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213348&Signature=Tf9apO-So973hkMjUOgPzd0DyvEXrSUL2cnnHrL0PASAMVj~F-oRmxb~w~u1BoJUZzJZB3-zCb-700emPIWiWpEbLzrU1UZaHfUETgwwTBEZSzDXhZdLw5VxPJBR8YnOqFCnDYCqjHRSlVd3~o~x5WuRxLb1DAwDQK1k8HreuAocVOVOesUg3S5OIKUdpHi47xN0n7a4ZGBfOq14UjzwssAyHB0zeIKe0i4Q-cNOc8eVJy04k72awjT-fs9~v6lCQsK~9CMOtptYZj5snM1kWAPf5EGKVsoPOMHm1fYC13VTVDgnfsDPwehvtMPhD6TXNlP1iJGKG-rwDvVNFt5Uqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State Developmental Disabilities Council Executive Director Julianne Horntevant told the House Appropriations Committee’s Human Resources Division that the council is seeking to hire additional staff and will shift some federal grant dollars to cover new positions.

Horntevant said the council, which receives federal funds under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act and is administered through the Administration for Community Living, currently operates with about 1.5 full-time equivalents (one full-time staff and a part-time self-advocacy position) and is asking to increase that staffing to the equivalent of three FTEs by adding a full-time position and two part-time positions.

The move, Horntevant said, is intended to bring more project work in-house so the council can directly lead inclusion initiatives, public policy projects and technical-assistance efforts instead of funding outside contractors. \"We have a 70 30 ratio as a rule of the funds, which means a max of 30% can be spent on our admin costs,\" Horntevant told the committee. She added that when staff time is devoted directly to the council’s five-year state plan goals, it is recorded as program work rather than an administrative overhead charge.

Why it matters: the DD Council distributes federal grant and contract funds across the state to pilot inclusion projects, support self-advocacy, and seed housing and community programs. Shifting money from competitive grants into salaries reduces the pool of discretionary awards available to outside providers and local projects while increasing the council’s internal capacity to run and sustain programs.

What the council funds now: Horntevant described recent investments including the state’s Olmstead plan development, peer-to-peer inclusion work in schools, a Grand Forks housing pilot that used council funds to help people move from large congregate settings into smaller apartment-style homes, and new self-advocacy groups and inclusive-childcare pilots. She said the council funds travel and training so people with disabilities and family members can attend meetings and conferences and described plans for statewide outreach as the council prepares its next five-year plan.

Committee concerns and clarifications: Representative Murphy pressed Horntevant on whether moving work in-house will reduce grants to families and providers. Horntevant said projects are not being eliminated today and that until the council actually hires the requested staff the grant line remains funded. \"We have not eliminated projects. We are continuing to fund projects within this 5 year plan,\" she said. Representative Murphy noted examples of previous grant recipients and asked for a breakdown of who received funds and in what amounts; the committee asked Horntevant to provide detailed grant lists and historical expenditures.

Officials also clarified administrative and hiring mechanics: Sarah Stolt, deputy commissioner overseeing the council within the Department of Human Services, told the committee the council’s new positions will be counted against the department’s overall FTE pool even though the salaries would be paid with federal grant dollars. Horntevant emphasized the positions would be federally funded and said hiring had not occurred at the time of the presentation.

Budget specifics and travel: Horntevant said that adding staff explains an increase in the council’s salaries and benefits line and a corresponding smaller grants line in the proposed biennial budget. She outlined higher travel costs tied to continuing quarterly self-advocacy trainings, council meetings, a national conference for council members and staff, regional trainings in seven communities, sibling-support groups and statewide town halls to collect input for the next five-year plan.

Next steps: Committee members asked Horntevant and HHS staff to provide the council’s detailed slides, an annual report, and a line-item list of recent grant awards. Donna Ochland (HHS staff) told the committee the materials would be provided after the hearing. Horntevant said the council will continue work under existing grants until hires are finalized.

Ending: The committee left the council presentation pending follow-up documents that members requested to evaluate grant impacts and the proposed staff reallocation.","State Developmental Disabilities Council Executive Director Julianne Horntevant told the House Appropriations Committee’s Human Resources Division that the council is seeking to hire additional staff and will shift some federal grant dollars to cover new positions.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6380533,"State refugee coordinator outlines surge in arrivals, requests federal-authority-based grants to scale services",3994,3856000,7850000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2131246-85871bc68133c03a0bbe370760324402&start=3856&end=7850","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2131246-85871bc68133c03a0bbe370760324402/thumbnail_3856000.jpg","/articles/6380533/North-Dakota/State-refugee-coordinator-outlines-surge-in-arrivals-requests-federal-authority-based-grants-to-scale-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6380533-e373af0ef81a1cbb8b833f1d63600d12/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213348&Signature=OkD6r~eyZIKVOFaQhiH4e4i-yNc8G2HWtNAKH6FXxBzTiQ3oKegM75c-rXYpugCQ~7oGnmH6BvU2IaVkj2oecuOKZuc8nEVW4dGK1rDNBpMl5HCJoYxu-7W7CDC1A26g7njTC9pkjufuw1YC6ded3m9~kKEYqOYK6cKek2~hcBwO~h37RmMcqRDi28Rmi5xisAcF-28SHVGu1HMHCTBX~oRF8T40j1iYKlJZpnEKy5Qsos-~JyJfabotfWqWlvTjHlvQVQzO99suKjxXqDaG~yW7SKIzq6pf1rA3wN-mvTyQxhAM6RO-ZN~cvZW03~vGCmIpEOamVoxojpp-qvx21w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State refugee coordinator Holly Triska Dolly told the House Appropriations Committee’s Human Resources Division that refugee arrivals in North Dakota have increased sharply and that state-administered federal grants must scale to meet workforce and community-integration needs.

Dolly said the office’s mission \"is to create community collaborations that strengthen and guide newcomers as they become welcomed neighbors and valued contributors to the economy.\" She explained the federal-state structure: the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) funds initial resettlement and a separate federal allotment supports the state Office of Refugee Services, which emphasizes long-term employment, English-language learning and community integration.

Arrivals and funding: Dolly provided arrival counts the office is using for budgeting: 219 refugee-eligible arrivals in federal fiscal year 2022, 421 in 2023 and 804 in 2024. She said the office is projecting roughly 1,100 arrivals in the coming year and that federal funding for community grants is formula-driven with a two-year lookback on arrivals; the office therefore expects grant authority to increase in line with arrivals. The office told the committee it is seeking authority that would increase grants for community partners and expand program operations; Dolly said the biennial request anticipates roughly a $10 million increase over the biennium, chiefly to fund grants and services tied to the increase in arrivals.

Program design and partners: Dolly explained the federal refugee resettlement sequence: resettlement agencies (she named Global Refuge in Fargo and Church World Service affiliates in Bismarck and Grand Forks) provide the first 90 days of intensive reception services (housing, school enrollment and cultural orientation). The state’s Office of Refugee Services then focuses on longer-term economic integration through employment assistance, English-language learning and community partnerships. Dolly said the office funds contracts with more than 30 organizations across at least 10 communities and that about $18.5 million of the office’s requested $23 million would be distributed to community partners as grants for employment, training and integration services.

Employment results and supports: Dolly reported that the New American Employment Program and other partnerships brought 636 employable adults into North Dakota in the past year and that 400 of those adults had entered employment at the time of her presentation. She said the average first-job wage for newly arriving workers was $18.53 per hour and that manufacturing was the most common first employer sector, followed by retail, hospitality, construction, health care and education.

Key services and innovations: Dolly described a new statewide data-management system launched October 1, 2024, that standardizes beneficiary-level intake, a well-being and employability assessment and referral tracking. She said the initial investment in the data system is roughly $1.5 million and that ongoing maintenance and hosting will be about $200,000 annually. The office also launched a remote English-language program and an iPad loan program that includes data plans for clients who lack devices or broadband; Dolly said there have been no issues returning the devices at the end of eligibility periods.

Other program details: Dolly said the state administers a time-limited refugee cash assistance program in partnership with Job Service North Dakota. She gave program-rate examples used for planning: about $537 per month for a single adult, $746 for a two-person household (payments are income-based and limited to the first 12 months). She also said the state manages a federally funded Unaccompanied Refugee Minor foster-care program (about 35 youth currently in care) and that the office is supporting culturally specific behavioral-health groups in eight locations.

Why it matters: Dolly emphasized economic and demographic effects: the office’s work aims to accelerate workforce participation, offset aging-worker declines and help employers fill vacancies; she cited that many communities in North Dakota are welcoming newcomers outside traditional resettlement sites.

Next steps and committee follow-up: Committee members asked for additional detail on program costs and on the role of state-level immigration and workforce offices. Dolly and staff said they would provide further documentation and expressed willingness to bring clients or community partners to testify to the program’s workforce and integration outcomes.

Ending: The committee did not take an immediate funding action at the hearing; Dolly’s testimony will be part of the agency’s budget record for subsequent appropriation decisions.","Holly Triska Dolly, state refugee coordinator, told the Human Resources Division that refugee arrivals in North Dakota have increased sharply and that the Office of Refugee Services seeks increased federal grant authority and investments in employment, English-language learning, transportation and data systems.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6380539,"Crisis center First Link urges funding to meet surge in 988 volumes, requests 8–10 staff",220,3326000,3546000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2131246-85871bc68133c03a0bbe370760324402&start=3326&end=3546","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2131246-85871bc68133c03a0bbe370760324402/thumbnail_3326000.jpg","/articles/6380539/North-Dakota/Crisis-center-First-Link-urges-funding-to-meet-surge-in-988-volumes-requests-810-staff","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6380539-e97e7f888130c5a1c46923cb50d8e987/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213348&Signature=Nt6fV8KPZVrorFegF0Wff9cCNKRyaacxNbStM1itKnk2C1zS3JEwExh2AG~J~2WhJMJOAThmYt4f3CKjlitKpIaUjGjLK-i4l1CJCkWeIRB99fbXzyGDprVZHYS5xqYfbB-uP2nZnUnxlqvXbnVkxq0VY~Qh9oMsR56BSq1iEgV6UTDpaDh-y97rF8NlLNpGIkB33EYFNN1XhDt20G3gxHVT4DxaC3sy0KgsgDTdsFjEl3KwTbN8KnjKZ1arsrkIvQGXgJILvVVODUxzctGdl4LnvCllidbNCblwVMRd8XyzYoHI-XSKL2BVtC4j0HXE40rOnMbCuc6YWcmusrrwJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jennifer Illich, executive director of First Link, told the House Appropriations Committee’s Human Resources Division that 988 (the national suicide and crisis lifeline) and 211 (information and referral) demand in North Dakota has risen sharply and that state budget decisions should prioritize ongoing funding for these services.

\"These services are quite literally lifelines for community members in North Dakota who are struggling in the most desperate painful moments of their life,\" Illich said. She advised the committee her organization operates both the state’s 988 lifeline center and the 211 helpline and asked members to support House Bill 1012, which she said would help sustain operations.

Data Illich gave to the committee: she said average handling times are about 12 minutes per phone call, 35 minutes per chat, and 21 minutes per text. Call volumes tied to suicidal behavior rose from 5,017 phone calls in 2023 to 8,175 in 2024. Chats rose from 566 to 833, and texts rose from 456 to 1,199 across the same period. Illich told the panel those volumes are expected to increase further in 2025.

Staffing request: Illich told the committee First Link needs to hire eight to ten additional full-time employees in 2025 to handle the new chat and text traffic and maintain low wait and answer times. She said some temporary federal start-up grants that helped expand coverage after 988’s national launch are expiring in 2024–2025 and that continuing funding is required to avoid capacity loss.

911 interaction and routing changes: Illich said the 988 service is now configured to take some transfers from 911 when clinically appropriate and that carriers are moving to geolocation-based routing similar to 911 so calls can be routed to the nearest crisis center. She said the national vendor (Vibrant Emotional Health) is transitioning routing to geolocation; AT&T and Verizon are changing routing by geolocation now and others will follow.

Why it matters: Illich emphasized that callers to 988 may be in immediate crisis and that long waits can put people at risk. She said First Link maintains a community resource database with over 5,500 service listings and can escalate some contacts to mobile crisis teams where appropriate.

Committee follow-up: Chair Chairman Nelson and representatives asked technical questions about 911 transfers and funding sources; Illich said First Link currently is funded in part by short-term SAMHSA grants that are scheduled to expire in 2025 and that the center is included in behavioral health budget discussions.

Ending: The committee accepted Illich’s testimony for the record and said the staffing and budget request will be considered during the behavioral health budget review.","Jennifer Illich, executive director of First Link, told the appropriations panel that 988 and 211 usage has risen sharply and that the center needs 8–10 additional full-time employees in 2025 to keep answer rates low and maintain life-saving response capacity.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Disability Determination Services reports backlog pressures, maintains high accuracy despite rising receipts

State DD Council asks appropriations panel to fund new staff, will reallocate some federal grants

State refugee coordinator outlines surge in arrivals, requests federal-authority-based grants to scale services

Crisis center First Link urges funding to meet surge in 988 volumes, requests 8–10 staff