Our History

Vinland has been serving individuals with disabilities since 1976.

Brief History

President Ford accepting Norway’s bicentennial gift to the US in White House Rose Garden. Then-Crown Prince Harald of Norway (left) presented Ford with a check, who in turn handed it to Carl Platou. The money was for the foundation of Vinland National Center.

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 drug and alcohol addiction treatment for people with cognitive disabilities. We were the first center in the country to design a treatment program to meet the unique needs of individuals living with brain injuries.

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.