North Star Behavioral Health Services is celebrating 20 years of providing mental health support to the community, having grown from a small business venture in 2004 into a licensed provider of Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) across multiple counties. Co-founded by Dawn Vonada and Jay McLeod with support from a Chamber of Commerce grant, the organization secured a state contract in 2005 and has since navigated industry changes, including shifts in managed care oversight and a major state program restructuring in 2019. Following McLeod’s passing that same year, Vonada became the sole proprietor, leading North Star through licensing as an IBHS provider in 2020. Over two decades, the organization has employed around 300 professionals and served approximately 800 children, adolescents, and families while actively participating in community initiatives like the Mental Health Symposium and student sponsorship programs.
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