This bill appropriates $16,000,000 from the strategic investment and improvements fund to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services for a behavioral health facility grant. The funding is designated for the biennium from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2027, with the goal of increasing the number of inpatient behavioral health beds in the west central human service center region by at least thirty. To qualify for the grant, entities must commit to operating the facility for a minimum of ten years, with provisions for repayment of the grant amount if this requirement is not met. The repayment amount can be reduced by ten percent for each year the facility remains operational.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that grant funding will only be awarded once the physical infrastructure of the behavioral health facility is complete and the entity has submitted adequate staffing plans. Notably, the selection of grant recipients, the award process, and payments made under this section are exempt from the requirements of chapter 54-44.4, streamlining the process for awarding these grants.