Children’s Mental Health System of Care

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Help Minnesota make children’s mental health care easier for families to navigate

The Statewide Children’s Mental Health Plan will identify strengths, gaps, and priorities for improving Minnesota’s system of care for children and families. Families, providers, educators, Tribal Nations, communities and partners are invited to share their experiences and help shape what comes next.

Submit your feedback anonymously by taking this survey about Minnesota’s mental health system of care for children.

Working together to improve the system

Minnesota has many great mental health programs and services for youth, but unfortunately, they exist as part of a fragmented system. As a result, families are often left with the exhausting task of navigating this maze all on their own. State leaders are currently working to lift that burden through a coordinated statewide effort to figure out what's working, what's missing and exactly where we need to focus next.

Using the System of Care framework, the Statewide Children’s Mental Health Plan seeks to strengthen coherence, consistency and collaboration across Minnesota’s child- and family-serving systems.

The Statewide Children’s Mental Health Plan will include a needs assessment with community partners, such as children and families with lived experience, children’s mental health providers, educators, Tribal Nations, counties, hospitals, juvenile justice providers and state partners. The plan will also include a system assessment that identifies current gaps in the system of care – as well as current strengths – and provides recommendations on priority areas of focus.

Once released, the Statewide Children’s Mental Health Plan will be just the first step in creating a stronger, easier-to-navigate system of care. With continued support from state leadership, the ultimate goal is to build on this plan to create actionable steps based on the priorities identified so we can begin implementing key changes that will benefit families and communities across Minnesota.

Why is this work needed?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that as many as one in five children experience a mental health disorder in a given year. Further, an estimated 10% of children have a serious emotional disturbance, which is a mental health problem that has become longer-lasting and interferes significantly with the child’s functioning at home and in school.

All children and their families deserve access to mental health care that meets their needs and sets them up for a healthy, successful future. Unfortunately, families across the state regularly report experience difficulty accessing the care their children need. In recent years, Minnesota and the rest of the nation have experienced a significant increase in youth seeking help for behavioral health needs. The urgency of this issue is clear – systemic reform cannot wait.

Your voice matters

As part of this initiative, state partners have been hosting a variety of listening sessions with state and local agency leaders, mental health providers, community-based organizations, advocates and system partners, and individuals with lived experience.

Feedback gathered during engagement sessions has helped to:

  • Inform refinement of the system of care framework and statewide plan
  • Shape priorities, strategies and implementation approaches
  • Identify system gaps, challenges and opportunities.

Engagement with communities, professionals and advocates continues. In the coming months, there will be additional in-person and virtual listening sessions. Please check this webpage for future opportunities. If you are unable to attend a session, or if you’d prefer to submit feedback anonymously, you can take this survey about Minnesota’s mental health system of care for children.

Additional opportunities to provide feedback on the Statewide Children’s Mental Health Plan will be announced here, once the plan is released.

Who is leading this work?

Minnesota's statewide effort to build a comprehensive System of Care for children, youth, and families is well underway through an unprecedented partnership across state agencies, local government, providers, community organizations, and people with lived experience. This work is being led collaboratively by the Department of Human Services' Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), Health Care Administration (HCA), and Aging and Disability Services Administration (ADSA), in partnership with Minnesota Management and Budget's Children's Cabinet, Office of Addiction and Recovery (OAR), and Results Team. Key state partners also include the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), the Department of Education (MDE), and the Department of Health (MDH).

Beyond state government, this initiative is being shaped by a broad coalition of partners representing counties, providers, advocates, researchers, community organizations, and families. Engagement has included the Minnesota Association of County Social Service Administrators (MACSSA), AspireMN, the Minnesota Supreme Court Council, Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge, Minnesota Association of Resources for Recovery and Chemical Health (MARRCH), Lakeside Academy, the Minnesota Alliance of Rural Addiction Treatment Programs (MARATP), the Local Public Health Association (LPHA), HealthPartners, the University of Minnesota, The Well Minnesota, Cultural and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure Grant (CEMIG) providers, and Children's Mental Health Family Services Collaboratives from across the state. Minnesota is also benefiting from national technical assistance and peer learning through the National Governors Association (NGA), the Council of State Governments (CSG), the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and Convergence.

These conversations consistently highlight the need for stronger cross system coordination, shared accountability, culturally responsive and community driven services, sustainable workforce investments, better prevention and early intervention, and improved access regardless of location or entry point.

Partners strongly support building a Comprehensive Children’s Mental Health Initiative System of Care that integrates behavioral health, substance use, education, child welfare, juvenile justice, public health, and health care so children and families experience individualized, culturally responsive, family driven, youth guided supports through a seamless “No Wrong Door” approach.

These insights will shape Minnesota’s statewide System of Care report, to be released at the end of the year, reflecting a shared commitment to a more integrated, equitable, family-centered system. A website with ongoing updates is in development.

Help Minnesota make children’s mental health care easier for families to navigate

The Statewide Children’s Mental Health Plan will identify strengths, gaps, and priorities for improving Minnesota’s system of care for children and families. Families, providers, educators, Tribal Nations, communities and partners are invited to share their experiences and help shape what comes next.

Submit your feedback anonymously by taking this survey about Minnesota’s mental health system of care for children.

Working together to improve the system

Minnesota has many great mental health programs and services for youth, but unfortunately, they exist as part of a fragmented system. As a result, families are often left with the exhausting task of navigating this maze all on their own. State leaders are currently working to lift that burden through a coordinated statewide effort to figure out what's working, what's missing and exactly where we need to focus next.

Using the System of Care framework, the Statewide Children’s Mental Health Plan seeks to strengthen coherence, consistency and collaboration across Minnesota’s child- and family-serving systems.

The Statewide Children’s Mental Health Plan will include a needs assessment with community partners, such as children and families with lived experience, children’s mental health providers, educators, Tribal Nations, counties, hospitals, juvenile justice providers and state partners. The plan will also include a system assessment that identifies current gaps in the system of care – as well as current strengths – and provides recommendations on priority areas of focus.

Once released, the Statewide Children’s Mental Health Plan will be just the first step in creating a stronger, easier-to-navigate system of care. With continued support from state leadership, the ultimate goal is to build on this plan to create actionable steps based on the priorities identified so we can begin implementing key changes that will benefit families and communities across Minnesota.

Why is this work needed?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that as many as one in five children experience a mental health disorder in a given year. Further, an estimated 10% of children have a serious emotional disturbance, which is a mental health problem that has become longer-lasting and interferes significantly with the child’s functioning at home and in school.

All children and their families deserve access to mental health care that meets their needs and sets them up for a healthy, successful future. Unfortunately, families across the state regularly report experience difficulty accessing the care their children need. In recent years, Minnesota and the rest of the nation have experienced a significant increase in youth seeking help for behavioral health needs. The urgency of this issue is clear – systemic reform cannot wait.

Your voice matters

As part of this initiative, state partners have been hosting a variety of listening sessions with state and local agency leaders, mental health providers, community-based organizations, advocates and system partners, and individuals with lived experience.

Feedback gathered during engagement sessions has helped to:

  • Inform refinement of the system of care framework and statewide plan
  • Shape priorities, strategies and implementation approaches
  • Identify system gaps, challenges and opportunities.

Engagement with communities, professionals and advocates continues. In the coming months, there will be additional in-person and virtual listening sessions. Please check this webpage for future opportunities. If you are unable to attend a session, or if you’d prefer to submit feedback anonymously, you can take this survey about Minnesota’s mental health system of care for children.

Additional opportunities to provide feedback on the Statewide Children’s Mental Health Plan will be announced here, once the plan is released.

Who is leading this work?

Minnesota's statewide effort to build a comprehensive System of Care for children, youth, and families is well underway through an unprecedented partnership across state agencies, local government, providers, community organizations, and people with lived experience. This work is being led collaboratively by the Department of Human Services' Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), Health Care Administration (HCA), and Aging and Disability Services Administration (ADSA), in partnership with Minnesota Management and Budget's Children's Cabinet, Office of Addiction and Recovery (OAR), and Results Team. Key state partners also include the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), the Department of Education (MDE), and the Department of Health (MDH).

Beyond state government, this initiative is being shaped by a broad coalition of partners representing counties, providers, advocates, researchers, community organizations, and families. Engagement has included the Minnesota Association of County Social Service Administrators (MACSSA), AspireMN, the Minnesota Supreme Court Council, Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge, Minnesota Association of Resources for Recovery and Chemical Health (MARRCH), Lakeside Academy, the Minnesota Alliance of Rural Addiction Treatment Programs (MARATP), the Local Public Health Association (LPHA), HealthPartners, the University of Minnesota, The Well Minnesota, Cultural and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure Grant (CEMIG) providers, and Children's Mental Health Family Services Collaboratives from across the state. Minnesota is also benefiting from national technical assistance and peer learning through the National Governors Association (NGA), the Council of State Governments (CSG), the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and Convergence.

These conversations consistently highlight the need for stronger cross system coordination, shared accountability, culturally responsive and community driven services, sustainable workforce investments, better prevention and early intervention, and improved access regardless of location or entry point.

Partners strongly support building a Comprehensive Children’s Mental Health Initiative System of Care that integrates behavioral health, substance use, education, child welfare, juvenile justice, public health, and health care so children and families experience individualized, culturally responsive, family driven, youth guided supports through a seamless “No Wrong Door” approach.

These insights will shape Minnesota’s statewide System of Care report, to be released at the end of the year, reflecting a shared commitment to a more integrated, equitable, family-centered system. A website with ongoing updates is in development.

Page last updated: 17 Sep 2026, 06:34 AM