Northland Counseling Center is located in International Falls, Minnesota and is a nonprofit, Community Mental Health Center, serving a large portion of Northern Minnesota.  We provide a range of mental health services including psychotherapy in person and virtual, emergency mental health services, community-based skills training, substance use disorder assessment and treatment, telehealth psychiatry, and others.  We serve all ages, from birth to the end of the age spectrum.  

Northland has been providing mental health treatment in Northern Minnesota since 1959 and we have grown significantly in the last decade. In order to meet the increased demand, we began planning and design work for a new facility that will allow us to better serve our community. We do not turn people away for an inability to pay and provide thousands of dollars in charity care each year.  While our focus is in Northern Minnesota, telehealth has allowed us to serve people all across Minnesota.

After identifying the need for a new building, Northland began to design plans and pursuing funding sources for the project.  There were several key aspects to the building that were incredibly important when designing the space.

Throughout the design process, there was ongoing input from Northland staff and the community.  It was important for this building to reflect what is important for clients, staff, and our community. From the large concept of the building, to programming included, and even small details of the facility were designed with our staff and community in mind.

The new building included added safety for clients and staff. The layout of the building allows for separation of different programs while maintaining seamless flow between departments. Additional exits with increased accessibility for those with limited mobility were added to ensure no one would be excluded from easily using mental health services.  We also have incorporated pieces of our regional culture including use of outdoor natural space, design elements features natural finishes, and unique group room names to recognize our Native American groups in our area. Privacy is enhanced with more sound resistant materials, placement of rooms, and additional exits. 

This new facility allows us to enhance current services and create additional services for both children and adults, better incorporating families.  We will be better able to follow an integrated model of care where people can receive needed mental health services under one roof.  Increased crisis services, including crisis stabilization beds, will ease the stress on other local services as we are now equipped with additional capacity and improved access to other mental health services. 

Thank you for taking the time to learn about Northland Counseling Center and helping us better serve our community. We are proud of the final product and hope our community is as well.