(HOWARD, SD) – Elk Point provider Traci McDonald, EdD, MS, APRN, CNP, PMHNP-BC; has accepted the role of Director of Behavioral Health for Horizon Health. She began her new position on November 24.
Traci joined the Horizon Health team in 2015. She divided her time between working as a nurse practitioner at its Elk Point location and seeing behavioral health patients via telehealth.
Traci McDonald, EdD, MS, APRN, CNP, PMHNP-BC, is Horizon’s new Director of Behavioral Health.
As Director of Behavioral Health, she will oversee six fellow behavioral health providers. Horizon sees behavioral health patients in 19 locations throughout South Dakota. Appointments are predominantly made via telehealth with four providers working in the clinic setting. Horizon providers complete over 5,000 behavioral health appointments each year.
In 2024, Horizon received a Behavioral Health Services Expansion grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to support and grow services offered by the Horizon Behavioral Health Department. This has allowed Horizon to increase its provider numbers and add more support staff to aid in providing affordable, accessible care to all patients. Its medical, dental and behavioral health departments work together to direct patients to service lines that will best help them achieve optimal wellness.
“I’m excited to take on this new role and increase the care and support we give our behavioral health patients,” Traci said. “It’s critical that Horizon continues to support patients on their wellness journey and increase the services we can provide to those in need of care across South Dakota.”
McDonald will still divide her time between seeing behavioral health patients and providing administrative support to her fellow providers as well as advancing the department’s mission.
“We are thrilled to welcome Traci to this new role at Horizon Health,” Lori Dumke, Horizon’s Chief Operating Officer said. “Her contributions to her patients’ health and well-being as well as her achievements at Horizon make her uniquely qualified to lead our Behavioral Health Department now and into the future.”