White Earth tribe interested in former state hospital site

The White Earth Indian Tribe is reportedly interested in acquiring the former Brainerd Regional Human Services Center and establishing health care services there that could potentially employ between 200 to 300 people, Rep. John Ward, DFL-Brainerd, said Tuesday.

Ward said the Department of Human Services contacted the tribe because it was interested in expanding its health services statewide. Half of the employees would be Indian and half would be non-Indian, Ward said. The Brainerd lawmaker said a tribe tour of the campus is scheduled for Friday.

Ward said White Earth programs would be involved with health, chemical dependency, mental health and education. Tribe Executive Director Ron Valiant could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but Bill Haas, a lobbyist for the tribe, said members of the tribal council toured the campus and were impressed with it. He said the tribe established health services in Bemidji two years ago.

"It's going to be quite a project," Haas said.

Current State-Operated Services at the junction of Highways 18 and 25, included the Minnesota Neuro-rehabilitation Services, Community Addiction Recovery Enterprise and a MinnesotaCare processing center. Ward said he understood that existing programs would remain.