Photography provided by Children’s Minnesota
There’s a mental health crisis affecting kids and teens all across the country and right here in Minnesota. Together, we’re facing it head on. The team at Children’s Minnesota recognizes that mental health is as vital as physical health. And as the state’s only health system devoted entirely to children, they are uniquely positioned to meet the urgent, growing need for pediatric mental health care.
A Seamless Continuum of Care
Children’s Minnesota has built a comprehensive care model designed to support families at every stage of their journey. By fostering collaboration between emergency departments, primary care clinics and community partners like Washburn Center for Children, their team ensures no child falls through the cracks. Their services include:
• Inpatient hospital care: A secure, specialized environment at the St. Paul campus for children in immediate crisis, focused on safety and stabilization.
• Partial hospitalization program: This intensive daytime therapy allows children to receive rigorous clinical support while returning to the comfort of their families at night.
• Primary care integration and outpatient support: The hospital’s Integrated Behavioral Health program places mental health specialists directly within primary care clinics to provide early intervention.
The Power of Philanthropy
As a nonprofit, Children’s Minnesota’s ability to provide this specialized care relies on the generosity of donors. Your support allows them to:
• Welcome kids with complex medical needs: They are one of the only teams in the region that can provide integrated care for patients facing both mental and physical health challenges. Children who live with conditions like sickle cell disease, cancer, neurological problems or any number of serious illnesses can be treated by a highly collaborative team of experts.
• Ensure equitable access: Children’s Minnesota is often the only system providing high-level care to patients on government assistance or those who experience significant behavioral issues. They say yes to as many children as possible.
• Support the entire family: A mental health crisis can turn a family’s life upside down. Philanthropy powers the wraparound care — from child life specialists to supportive therapies — that keep families strong when they need it most.
With your help, Children’s can continue to lead the way in compassionate, specialized and made just-for-kids mental health care.
The mental health program is the focus of this year’s Children’s Minnesota Star Gala, the premier black-tie fundraiser for Children’s Minnesota. For more than 30 years, the philanthropic community in the Twin Cities has come together to raise millions of dollars for the nonprofit, which relies on generous donors to make life-changing care possible. The funds raised at Star Gala 2026 will allow Children’s Minnesota to provide just-for-kids mental health care in a time of urgent need.