Bridges Over Barriers: A Needs Assessment on ND’s Response to Survivors of Domestic Violence with Co-Occurring Behavioral Health Issues

The North Dakota Domestic and Sexual Violence Coalition (NDDSVC) commissioned a Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) Grant Needs Assessment Annual Update project to examine how survivors of domestic violence with co-occurring behavioral health issues are supported across North Dakota. Survivors and advocates alike reported that the prevalence and severity of these intersecting issues are increasing, yet the state’s current service and response systems remain insufficient to meet the complexity of survivors’ needs. The project sought to document survivors’ lived experiences, identify strengths and gaps in service delivery, and develop recommendations for strengthening responses at the individual, community, and systems levels.

Over a ten-month period, this Needs Assessment project engaged thirty survivors across the state as well as advocates from over 80% of North Dakota’s domestic violence advocacy programs, behavioral health and treatment providers, and a multidisciplinary group of responders. Survivors described experiencing profound forms of abusive coercive control tactics, isolation, and repeated abuse often compounded by substance use as a coping strategy, untreated complex trauma, and abuser-driven behavioral health manipulation. Nearly all participants reported significant mental health complications, more than half disclosed substance abuse challenges, and more than one-quarter reported a diagnosed mental illness. Advocates in every region of North Dakota confirmed that survivors presenting with these complex needs represent a substantial and growing portion of their caseload.

View the report’s findings and recommended actions by clicking the button below.