Identifying and overcoming barriers to a continuum of mental health services for youth and families through creative solutions and agency partnerships

The purpose of the presentation, “Identifying and overcoming barriers to a continuum of mental health services for youth and families through creative solutions and agency partnerships” comes after watching an extreme healthcare crisis continue to increase over the last 3 years surrounding children’s mental health. Youth in Minnesota and across the United States are sleeping in hospital ambulance garages, juvenile detention centers and child protection office cubicles due to the lack of appropriate resources. Referrals for residential treatment centers are at an all-time high, yet residential providers aren’t receiving adequate funding; impacting their ability to staff appropriately and in turn operating at a lower census.