Area Services

Park Rapids Area Schools

The Park Rapids Area Schools has a history of vision, excellence and success that is quite accurately summed up in their vision "Preparing today's learners for tomorrow's challenges."

The campus includes the state-of-the-art Century School for K – 8 and the Area High School. Doors to student success begin with all day every day kindergarten and continue through high school where student can take courses for college credits. Eighty percent of Park Rapids graduates go on to further their education at a post-secondary institution.

The Park Rapids Education and Activities Foundation is key to making a broad range of athletic and fine arts activities available to students.

Family & Children's Services

The Park Rapids area has one of the finest early childhood programs in the state. Head Start, Early Childhood Family Education, School Readiness, Early Childhood and early Childhood Special Education programs and other family services are located that the Frank White Education Center. The focus of this collaborative program is families and their needs through regular classes, special events, individual programs and multitude of resources.

Upper Mississippi Mental Health

Established in 1962. Upper Mississippi Mental Health Center is the largest and most comprehensive provider of behavioral health services in the region. Licensed independent clinical social worker, psychologist, psychiatrists and advanced practice nurses serve children individual s, couples and families as well as local agencies. UMMHC has offices in Park Rapids and Bemidji.

SBDC Business Services

The Northwest Region 1 Small Business Development Center is location the Park Rapids Lakes Area Chamber the center offer a variety of free services to existing and start up businesses. Counselors provide on-on-one business management consulting to existing and prospective small business owner and manager, training on business topics, loan packaging and access to business information. These services are funded through the federal Small Business Administration and Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and sponsored locally by area banks. The main office at Bemidji can be reached at 218-755-4255: appointment are taken through the Park Rapids Chamber at 218-732-4111

SCORE Business Services

The Park Rapids Area SCORE branch office offers free services to existing and start up businesses. Small businesses represent economic prosperity in Park Rapids and in America. They are 99.7 percent of all employer firms in the nation and generate over 50 percent of the non-farm private gross domestic product. There are many factors that contribute to their success: a focused business plan, hard work, quality products and services, adequate financing and good advice. For more information go to about how SCORE can help you go to www.score.org or call 218-732-2259

Teamworks, Inc.

A non-profit organization created 12 years ago, Teamworks works with programs and service development to cultivate business involvement and community partnerships'. Teamworks has grown from a local training center to a regional/statewide organization that provides human performance solution. The office of Park Rapids Express Employment Professionals at Teamworks covers all or parts of 10 surrounding counties and helps people find jobs and businesses find the people and human resource serves they need.