MINOT, ND (KXNET) — Village Family Service Center in Downtown Minot has continued to provide the care everyone deserves when it comes to their mental health in the Magic City. Back in the beginning of October, the Village announced that it would be making its Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Program virtual. The program provides group therapy four days a week in three-hour sessions, plus one hour of individual therapy for individuals who need some extra mental health guidance. Regional program manager for the Village Family Service Center, JoDee Knipfer, says that the move to virtual was made to expand the program's reach, providing a level of care that people weren't getting. "People would call in and ask about higher levels of care and we didn't have anything for them and that's just not a great feeling. We want to meet as many needs as possible, so I made the decision to move forward with this and tackle the challenges that come with it," said Knipfer. Knipfer says that the virtual option was prototyped back in 2021 during COVID-19, which saw lots of success among patients. "You know, people were getting well and things continued to flow pretty smoothly, and as we stepped away from COVID and everyone went back to the office, things just went back to the old normal and it felt good, so it's always been in the back of my mind," said Knipfer. City of Minot taking measure to prevent freezing in water storage tanks A component of the virtual outpatient program that Knipfer wants to focus on is being able to reach folks in rural areas who don't have access to a clinic, but who are also in need of more than just therapy. "If individual therapy isn't enough and they're going to the hospital because they don't know what else to do, so adding on a telehealth component to our in-house, out-patient program seemed to be the best direction in order to serve everybody that we possibly can," said Knipfer. Knipfer says that many folks living with mental health disorders in rural areas can face different types of barriers. "Isolation is one of the barriers for people who live in these small towns or who are away from these big cities, when someone's not feeling mentally well and they're isolated, that's a scary, scary place to be," said Knipfer. However, Knipfer hopes that the program serves as a stepping stone for those on the path to recovery in their mental health journey. "Our program is really meant to bridge that gap saying come be a part of this group as a step-down, let's continue this journey, the process they started while they were in the hospital, so when they discharge with us, that one hour of individual therapy is all they need," said Knipfer. For more information on the Village Family Service Center's Intensive Outpatient Program click here. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW