2024 Trailblazer Award | Laura Anderson, Policy Director for North Dakota Behavioral Health

Laura Anderson is currently the Policy Director for the North Dakota Behavioral Health Division within the Department of Human Services. Her work primarily focuses on leading and shaping the state's behavioral health policies, ensuring that the services provided are effective, accessible, and sustainable. As a key player in prevention efforts, she has been involved in promoting National Prevention Week, advocating for substance use prevention and mental health resources in North Dakota. Her division is also responsible for overseeing the state's behavioral health system, including the licensure of substance use disorder programs and ensuring service quality. Anderson's leadership has been pivotal in the state’s successful prevention campaigns, which have shown significant positive outcomes, such as reducing alcohol use among high school students by over 35% in the past two decades.