Growth and connection

In a world often driven by quick fixes and impersonal interactions, Connect Medical Clinic in Dickinson is offering something profoundly different: dignity-centered care that sees every patient as a whole person made in the image of God.
 
Founded in 2015, Connect began as a pro-life pregnancy help clinic, embodying its core value of "Everyone deserves to be nurtured and cherished." A decade later, the mission remains rooted in the sanctity of life, but the reach has expanded far beyond. Today, Connect provides holistic medical care, education and mentorship, alongside the original pregnancy services, to women, men and families in an expanded, state-of-the-art clinic space.
 
Connect has made a shift to caring for the person’s needs beyond the one symptom they may have come in for. 
 
 “The goal is to restore the natural balance of what God intended. It’s not to treat and send out the door, but to see what else is happening: what else do they need, what other support or education could help,” said Tara Zettel, RN and CEO of the clinic. 
 
While caring for expectant mothers is still at the heart of their work, the idea is to move beyond the need of a woman in that one particular crisis moment of her life, and also be a part of her story before and after that need. 
 
“We can serve anyone at any time without needing that particular moment,” offered Chief Operations Officer, Jillian Kubik.
 
Tara added, “We don’t need a woman in crisis to serve her well. When we say, 'Everyone deserves to be nurtured and cherished,' we are really able to mean everyone."
 
The “Connect experience"
 
A visit to Connect is more than your typical clinic visit—it’s a faith-informed, trauma-aware and relationship-based experience. And that experience means going beyond addressing specific symptoms to instead address the whole person. If someone visits the clinic with an STI, menstrual concern or for pre-conception evaluations, we want to do a whole lot more than just treat and send along, Tara explained. “We invite them to consider the whole picture, what led them here, what else is going on and what they desire for their future."
 
At the holistic medical clinic, every patient gets a free one-hour consultation. This assessment reviews all of a patient’s needs: mental/emotional, physical, spiritual and social/practical. While providing what services they can in house, Connect also partners with numerous practices in the area to refer to if they aren’t able to provide certain needs. 
 
Connect also offers an educational program, called ConnectED. All patients are given the opportunity to find a ConnectED pathway that fits their current situation and needs, with topics including pregnancy and parenting pathways, as well as fatherhood, life skills, cycle care, Bible study pathways and more. The medical care team facilitates each lesson, and patients are given practical items donated by the Connect community of support at each encounter.
 
What’s next 
 
“The entire state of North Dakota, and especially its western side, has statistically inadequate coverage for healthcare, particularly mental health. Our coverage area encompasses a 100-mile radius around Dickinson, and we also serve the foreign-born population in the area and utilize local translation services,” shared Jillian. 
 
According to the N.D. Department of Health, only around 22.3% of the mental health professional need is met in North Dakota overall, and this gap is acutely felt in the western counties.
 
Recognizing this gap, Connect is preparing to meet the need. The clinic is now focusing on the development of “Connect Cares,” a three-tiered program of wrap-around support for patients, offering practical assistance, mentoring and group education. 
 
Their ultimate goal is to have a mental health professional who can serve patients. What’s more, to emphasize the importance of this care, the office will physically be located in the center of the newly-expanded clinic.
 
“Connect is always on the lookout for needs and meeting those needs, one dignity-centered encounter at a time,” said Tara. "Adding tele-health services means Connect is poised to serve across the state as needed."
 
The impact 
 
Because of their ability to reach a variety of people at different times of life, Connect has stories of redemption and transformation from people of so many different walks of life. 
 
Many will be familiar with Elaina’s and Emilly’s story, women who came to Connect for pregnancy help and decision-making, and ongoing, relationship-based parenting support, offered Tara, but you can also find other stories, which are shared on the website. 
 
“You can also find Kohl’s story, a young man who came for a sports physical and was impacted by the Connect experience, and was excited to share it with his friends at [Dickinson High School]. There is also Lana’s story, a 16-year-old victim of sex trafficking, and Claudia’s story, a Spanish-speaking woman who received life-saving cancer screenings, causing her to refer others from her community to the clinic,” shared Jillian. 
 
Regardless of the state in life, Connect can meet the need and make a difference. These are not isolated reports; these are the everyday fruit of this intentional and compassionate effort.
 
A statistic worth being proud of, 100% of patients answered the exit survey question, “Would you refer Connect to a friend?” with a “Yes!” The recommendations of those who have been touched by the Connect experience are a powerful testimony of the quality of care and impact on future generations.
 
Funding and support 
 
Connect Medical Clinic is over 90% donor funded, though they’ve also begun to accept medical insurance this last year, an exciting addition. 
 
Right now, Connect has nearly completed its “Sustain Growth Campaign” with a goal of $1.5 million that will allow them to expand the space and hire a mental health professional, among other endeavors, which together will bridge the gap between the needs of the community and the current offerings available. 
 
“Financial support is one way people can support the clinic, but prayerful support is just as important and needed,” reminded Jillian. "Every dollar and every prayer moves the mission forward to bring hope to more people and families."
 
Connecting can look different for each individual, and many of their patients become supporters; long-time supporters have even become patients themselves.
 
For many, giving to Connect is not just a donation, it’s a response to the Gospel. It's a way to be the hands and feet of Christ, uphold dignity, and defend and protect the culture of life already established by the faithful in our state.
 
For further information about Connect Medical Clinic, or to make an appointment, give a donation or volunteer, call 701-483-9353 or visit connectmedicalclinic.com.