Bismarck Tribune - Bismarck News - Stenehjem resigns post with mental health group

Stenehjem resigns post with mental health group

Feb 14, 2005 - 23:40:50 CST

By VIRGINIA GRANTIER, Bismarck Tribune

Al Stenehjem said Monday that he resigned recently from the executive director post of the Mental Health Association in North Dakota to pursue other opportunities.

"I couldn't take advantage of them while working for the association," he said.

Susan Rae Helgeland, who has been serving as the association's interim executive director since Stenehjem's Jan. 31 resignation, said Stenehjem will be missed.

Helgeland, the association's regional director in Fargo prior to taking on Stenehjem's duties, said it was under Stenehjem's leadership that the association began the 211 program -- a 24-hour toll-free confidential crisis intervention, information and referral service.

By dialing 211 on the telephone, the caller is connected with a crisis management specialist.

It's a statewide service for all land-line and most cellular phone users.

Currently, Verizon customers need to dial a toll-free number instead, 800-472-2911.

Journey of Hope, a support program for families with a mentally ill family member, also was started under Stenehjem's direction, she said.

"He did a lot for us," Helgeland said about Stenehjem, who had been director since November 2002.

"He was pretty much hands on all over the state."

Helgeland said her goal is to maintain the status quo until a new director is picked.

She explained that the association is in existence to "work for a world that is free from discrimination against mental illness."

News > Local

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Comments

TBcommember wrote on Nov 15, 2006 12:08 PM:

" I am from the Twin Buttes community and not once was I given in writing infomation on when school board elections were being held...the people are not notified early enough to go cast their votes....Over the years, corruption infiltrated into the polls for election or re-election. Now that these individuals I know have been caught and indicted, being re-elected in a school board position should not change the course of the indictment of an individual being charged. "

yeah wrote on Nov 9, 2006 5:56 PM:

" so why make melissa out to be all bad when she has been re-elected by "the people". if she was such an awful person that lauren makes her out to be then why would the people even think about re-electing her? answer that! "

Who needs to know wrote on Oct 16, 2006 2:35 PM:

" Carla you really calm down and think about buying tobacco o.k? It is not healthy for you and if you already act like you are addicted to TOBACCO then you must have had it while you were illegal age from someone who cares "

Sick and Tired...of Racists wrote on Aug 16, 2006 8:14 AM:

" What the hell? Are we reading the same article here? Where in the article does it say that these people were a result of "outside problems" or anything other than white? Diversity will ruin Bismarck? Obviously Bismarck is not as "welcoming" as Sick and Tired states if "we must discriminate because we are white." Go back to Mayberry. Diversity is welcome by a lot of people, me included. This story is about a group of delinquent young people, not about how non-whites are ruining Bismarck! "

Mark wrote on Jul 10, 2006 1:47 PM:

" I wholeheartedly agree with the above individuals sentiments on diversity. All that we are doing ,in large part, is bringing in outside problems and all the people that sponsor these people to come up here should have to pay for them too. I can think of much better uses for my tax dollars than bankrolling the next crop of government program parasites. "

Sick&Tired wrote on Jun 26, 2006 10:26 PM:

" I didn't know Bismarck had a discrimination problem. Since Bismarck is a majority white community, we must discriminate on some level. Bismarck as a community has been very welcoming to anyone. The community will respond negatively when they aren't working and committing violent crimes, like the mugging at the carwash. Bismarck is a very peaceful communitity and we don't want crime!!! If Bismarck starts becoming more diverse the Bismarck we love will be forever lost!!! "

Eugene Dumont wrote on May 24, 2006 8:19 AM:

" I believe that at 18, the year when men become men and woment become women they should be allowed to buy tobacco, but the big question is why waist money on something that may kill you? "

Heather wrote on May 11, 2006 6:09 PM:

" Actually at the age of 18, in this state, you are ALLOWED to live on your own, go to jail, die in war, vote for President, AND buy tobacco. "

carla wrote on Apr 18, 2006 10:30 PM:

" Why is it that at 18 a person is a legal adult able to live on his/ her own, go to jail, die in war, vote for president, but cannot buy tobacco? It's absurd! "

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