Partners

Heartland Girls’ Ranch is recognized as a model program and receives referrals from around the state. HGR has over 20 multi-disciplinary collaborative partners to maintain its excellent care and services for girls. Key collaborative partners include:

  • Swift County Benson Health Services (physical health): Every girl gets a “well-child” exam within a month of intake by a Nurse Practitioner that works regularly with our girls. HGR employs a RN full-time, five days a week. Our nurse assesses the medical needs weekly, overseeing medication administration and the evaluation of the girls for their individual medical needs. The RN then makes referrals for clinic appointments when needed. Girls are kept up to date on dental appointments and eye appointments while in our care. Additional needs such as chiropractic, physical therapy, occupational therapy are all done by doctor referral and tended to in the local communities. HGR also contracts with a psychiatrist to provide assessment and medication management.

  • Greater MN Family Services (mental health): HGR works collaboratively with Greater MN Family Services who provides our own LICSW, MSW (and mental health skills worker) for individual therapy, family and group therapy and skills work. These mental health workers are contracted specifically for the Ranch residents.

  • Crossroads Counseling (mental health): Their services are available on the HGR campus.

  • Catholic Charities of the New Ulm Diocese (mental health): Provides a LICSW therapist who provides individual therapeutic diagnostic assessment and family therapy. Their services are available on the HGR campus.

  • South West Service Cooperative and the Benson School district: Provides HGR its own school, housed in the Benson High School. This school provides special education and regular teachers plus a work-based learning component.

  • Options for Women (Morris): Offers parenting classes and other services for our pregnant girls and girls that are mothers, providing the education on site when needed.

  • The Venturing Program (Boy Scouts) of America: Provides specialized recreational activities monthly for our girls.

  • PACT For Families: A children’s mental health and family service collaborative, serving Kandiyohi, Meeker, McLeod, Renville and Yellow Medicine Counties. Partner organizations include county social services, nineteen school districts, corrections, mental health, public health agencies and parents. HGR will be partnering with them to provide training and resources for members on commercial sexual exploitation of children.

  • 4-H: In 4‑H, kids complete hands-on projects in areas like health, science, agriculture and civic engagement in a positive environment where they receive guidance from adult mentors and are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles.

  • The Family Partnership - PRIDE- Provides mentors to residents at our Hearts for Freedom Program.

HGR also collaborates with the following organizations to facilitate our work with sex trafficking victims: Lighthouse and PAVSA in Duluth, 180 Degrees - Brittany's Place, The Link and Men as Peacemakers - Girls Program in the West Duluth schools. HGR is funded for this work through the Department of Human Services, and the Minnesota Department of Health.

We have a good working relationship with the Benson Police Department when there are crisis situations and support needed. As pieces are put into place with the Safe Harbor/No Wrong Door Model, HGR anticipates more extensive cooperation and collaboration with law enforcement in the transportation of victims to HGR, navigating the criminal justice system and in facilitating in the prosecution of pimps, traffickers and perpetrators of our girls.

Additional Partnerships: Various County social workers, mental health workers and probation officers have identified HGR as a good option for trafficked girls on their case load and are increasingly referring them for placement.