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.

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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
13 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

April 2025 updates

The project is on track for a late summer/early fall 2025 opening.

Construction and design

2^nd floor demolition has been completed
Construction to begin in May

Licensing, contracting, and programming

Service provider Nexus Family Healing preparing to host community information sessions and hiring events
Cultural consultant advising on hiring, onboarding and training, and cultural responsiveness
System partners collaborating to develop admissions and intake process

Community engagement

Youth engagement event planned for end of April
Email systemofcare@hennepin.us for updates on future opportunities

More about the project

Partners and providers

Mohagan 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

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