Social services work in western ND (Bismarck, Minot: crime, homes, gated)

[michigantond]

Hi everyone. I'm from Michigan and going to UND for my masters in social work. I have applied to a scholarship program that in return I am obligated to work in the western part of the state including: : Three-Affiliated Tribes and the following counties: Stark, McKenzie, Mountrail, Ward, Williams, Dunn, and Divide
(Standing Rock Reservation. Every state is different with social services anyways let alone I really do not know much about the area besides media and what I've heard from people who moved there during the oil boom. I was interested in the opinions of social services programs in that area or the state in general and if any specific areas are more desirable as a whole compared to others on the list. Any input helps. Thank you in advance.

[Dewey59]

It was hard to tell from your post, but it looks like Standing Rock Reservation is one of your options. That would be the furthest away from the crime of the Bakken area where most of your other options are located. Also not sure if you are male or female, but if you are female, I would definitely recommend you stay away from the rural areas of the Bakken.

Stark and Ward counties would be the only two I would recommend in the Bakken area, because they are on the fringes of the oil activity and have bigger cities (Dickinson and Minot respectively) that are generally a little safer.

I cannot speak to the social work agencies in any of these areas, but I can make a very general statement that the biggest problems you will be dealing with at Standing Rock would be broken homes, gambling and alcohol addictions. In the Bakken, you will be dealing with alcohol and drug abuse, isolation issues, rapes, and a host of other crimes. Again, these are broad statements, but seem to be what you hear about most from those areas.

My mom was a social worker in Bismarck for many years, but that was a long time ago and times have definitely changed - especially in ND!