Mental health care - child and adolescent

Your child or love one's mental health needs are distinctly individual. We understand this, and we offer different levels of care to meet the broad range of needs. That includes everything from crisis care and inpatient services to outpatient support and specialty programs. Learn more about our levels of mental health care and services: 

If you or someone in your life is experiencing a mental health or addiction crisis, there is immediate help available at Allina Health Emergency Department (ED) locations throughout the Twin Cities Metro and surrounding areas.

Crisis care services are available for patients of all ages. At the Emergency Department:

• You will have a team of mental health crisis care clinicians on hand to support you.
• You will meet with one of our specially trained mental health clinicians, who will conduct a risk assessment and evaluate your situation.
• Your clinician will provide recommendations to one of our highly trained ED providers to ensure you receive the right level of care to meet your immediate need.

Our inpatient care services treat children and adolescents experiencing acute, safety-compromising circumstances due to a sudden mental health crisis.

Inpatient care requires a referral (usually by ED crisis care) and includes hospitalization for assessment, evaluation and treatment by an expert team of specialists and clinicians. The focus of this care is stabilization and coordination with outpatient teams to a ensure a smooth, timely transition from inpatient to outpatient services.

Intermediate outpatient services include a range of core and specialty programs, which provide different levels of care for adolescents ages 13-17. Most programs require a referral from a specialty provider. In some cases, self-referrals are accepted. All programs require an assessment to ensure placement into the appropriate program.

Allina Health hospital-based specialty clinics (HBCs) provide outpatient mental health care to those living with complex health needs. These may be patients managing two or more distinct health conditions at the same time or those with severe or persistent mental health conditions.

HBC specialty program tracks include: 

• trauma
• psychological testing 
• individual and group therapy 
• specialized medication management

Call our Mental Health and Addiction Connection line (866-603-0016) for more information. 

We work closely with our Allina Health primary care network and have a team of mental health providers located within select primary care clinics across the Metro and at our regional locations. Our in-clinic mental health care team provides consultation, assessment, therapy, as well as other psychiatric and psychological support services for all ages.

In-clinic mental health care, integrated within primary care clinics, supports seamless collaboration between mental health and primary care providers. Support services are available by e-consultation, virtual visits and in-clinic appointments.