Brief History

Founded in 1976 as the Bicentennial gift to the United States from Norway, Vinland was modeled after the Norwegian Beitostølen Healthsports Center (BHSS). BHSS works exclusively with people who have physical and developmental disabilities and encourages them to lead more active lives.

In its early days, Vinland only served people with physical disabilities and was entirely dependent upon volunteers and charitable contributions to run its operations. In the early 1980s, Vinland also received assistance from the U.S. Federal Government and the State of Minnesota to establish its program. Since 1990, Vinland has provided specialized services for people with cognitive disabilities. Over the past 20 years, the number of people we have served has increased dramatically.

Vinland has developed a strong national reputation for providing top-quality integrative services to individuals with traumatic brain injuries, mental illness, learning disabilities, and/or other cognitive disabilities. It is well-known that a comprehensive approach like Vinland's benefits individuals who have been unsuccessful in other treatment settings. Our integrated treatment model provides conventional treatment services along with a wide variety of complementary care services like therapeutic exercise, nutrition, mental health education, and recreational activities.

Learn more about Who We Serve and Our Programs.