Youth stabilization center

Hennepin County is developing a youth stabilization center. The center will serve youth with complex mental health and behavioral needs.

The project is within the Behavioral Health Center, 1800 Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis.

Open all

Target population and services

County-connected youth with complex mental health and behavioral needs
Treatment and therapeutic supports while triage, assessment, and planning take place with families
Culturally responsive services delivered by a community agency
10-15 beds for short-term stays of 30-45 days

Stabilization services

A small population of county-connected youth have significant needs due to complex diagnoses, behaviors, and trauma. Gaps and barriers in Minnesota’s human services and juvenile justice systems mean these youth do not have access to appropriate care settings.

Residential crisis stabilization services fill an important gap for youth who cannot remain safely at home, offering treatment and therapeutic supports for youth while triage, assessment, and planning take place with families.

Timeline and updates

We are quickly advancing this work to address pressing system gaps.

April 2024: Requested proposals for youth residential crisis stabilization services
October 2024: Hennepin County Board approval
Late 2024-early 2025: Planning, design and construction
2025 TBD: Youth crisis stabilization center opens

December 2024 updates

Construction and design

Mid-December: Demolition and construction beginning
Plans for two “neighborhoods” within the center, allowing up to 13 youth to receive services
Additional four beds for youth needing withdrawal management
Indoor and outdoor recreation/activity spaces

Community engagement

Facility design engagement events with youth/parent-centered community groups underway
Up next: Additional and ongoing events planned to help design programming
Participation from community and provider partners – email systemofcare@hennepin.us for updates on future opportunities

Licensing and contracting

Fall 2024: Nexus Family Healing selected through competitive request for proposals
Current: Nexus helping shape facility and service delivery
Nexus contract to include cultural consultation and advisory committees
On track to receive licensing and certification from the Minnesota Department of Human Services by July 1, 2025 goal

More about the project

Partners and providers

Mohegan Hansen, architects
Human eXperience, behavioral health design firm
Nexus Family Healing, service provider

Building a System of Care

Hennepin County has a vital role in addressing children’s mental health and keeping youth, their families, and the community safe. We have adopted the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) System of Care framework to guide our work.

In recent years, we have invested at every level of the mental health continuum – early intervention, crisis response, and deep-end services – to serve more youth and families, and achieve better outcomes for all.

Learn more about System of Care

Open all