Some Minnesota families now have another option to get help for kids in crisis

Kids with complex mental and behavioral health needs who have long been stuck between emergency rooms and juvenile dentition have a new treatment option in Hennepin County.

A 13-bed youth behavioral health crisis stabilization center is opening later this month for kids ages 8-17. It’s not a long-term treatment facility but a calm place to stay for a few weeks and get help while figuring out what to do next.

Minnesota has struggled for years to find options for kids with complex needs, including sending them out of state for treatment. After the pandemic exacerbated mental health issues for young people, the new stabilization center aims to help them get better.

“Kids need more options,” said Tricia Johnson, executive director of the Hoffman Center, which offers longer-term psychiatric rehabilitation treatment for kids. “There are not enough options to make sure they have a place to go, where they are safe and they’re getting the treatment that is essential for their growth and development.”

At Hennepin County’s new facility, kids can stay for up to 45 days in the building on the edge of downtown Minneapolis.

Leah Kaiser, Hennepin County’s behavioral health director, said the space was intentionally built with feedback from families and youth. Providing a calming, quiet space to recharge can be a game-changer for kids, she said.

Local hospitals have seen more children coming to the emergency room since the pandemic, seeking treatment for anxiety and depression. But, she said, that environment is chaotic.

The youth mental health care system over the last decade has been under transition and stress, Kaiser said. The center is one solution to lengthy waitlists for longer term treatment options, she said.

The facility has two “neighborhoods” to promote a familial vibe to the space, including a dining room area in each of them. Every room has a personal bathroom and desk.

Kids will be referred to the program by county case workers and receive multiple types of therapy while there. A nurse will be present every day for any medication needs, Kaiser said. Kids will also be taught by a Minneapolis Public Schools teacher while they stay.

Margaret Vimont, chief operating officer of Nexus Family Healing, which partnered with the county to build and staff the center, said her organization hears from other Minnesota cities and counties regularly.

“I don’t know of a county that couldn’t use the resource,” she said.

Vimont said the main issue is funding. Hennepin County spent $20 million just to build the new space alone. Another $7 million will go to maintaining the program and staff every year.

Emergency rooms and detention centers focus on calming kids and keeping them safe, Johnson said, but often cannot provide mental health services.

Stabilization centers provide both, she said, and additional family involvement. Giving kids more skills and guardrails when they move into a longer care option or go back home, she said, is essential to improving their lives.