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Mental Health Collaboration Hub, Addressing the Youth Mental Health Boarding Crisis
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October 2, 2025 | 12 – 1 PM CST | 1 CEHs | Free | Live Webinar
Our current mental health crisis continues to put strain on our health systems, families, and in particular the young people in our communities. Every day in Minnesota dozens of youth present to hospitals and emergency departments in a psychiatric or behavioral health crisis. The number of youths in emergency departments in crisis has doubled in the last decade, overwhelming hospital staff and infrastructure that is designed for medical emergencies. Stories of youth boarding (stuck) on medical units, hallways, and even parking garages have become more common as they have no place to go.
The situations are intense, and services are scarce. The time spent boarding is increasing as well, in some cases up to weeks or even months. This is a result of an underfunded and understaffed system of mental health care providers and human service systems. In response to this crisis, in August 2022 stakeholders across the state began to meet to talk about the problem. Led by the Metro Health Coalition and AspireMN, they represented the state’s largest hospitals, counties, mental health treatment centers, group homes, and advocacy groups.
Together these groups began identifying specific cases of youth who were boarding in inappropriate settings and trying to connect them to care. The cases were among the most difficult to place. Through grant funding provided by the state of Minnesota, the group was able to build a secure online platform for centralized communication and automation. Thus, the Mental Health Collaboration Hub was born.
For each case on the Hub, de-identified information is submitted which allows youth to be matched with mental health providers, safe living settings, and other additional supports. Once a match is made, the current care team is able to connect with the identified resources and often coordinate a safe placement. Since its conception in 2022, the Hub has served over 400 youth. There are currently 230 organizations registered and nearly 500 individual users. Not only has the Hub facilitated the placement of numerous youth, but it has helped identify the common risk factors that can lead to extended boarding times. For example, our data shows that one of the most common risk factors present for young people on the Hub is the presence of aggression. Better understanding these risk factors allows practitioners in emergency rooms, clinics, hospitals, and treatment centers to facilitate placement and thus provide better care to these children.
Additionally, understanding the clinical presentations and dispositions can inform our policies and funding, eventually impacting the systems that are causing the boarding crisis. Our hope is that this presentation will not only inform participants about the work that is being done to address the mental health boarding crisis, but help empower them to envision better ways forward that can better serve our youth and their families.
Objectives
- Become familiar with the mental health boarding crisis impacting youth in Minnesota.
- Learn how the Mental Health Collaboration Hub is helping to address this issue.
- Identify factors resulting in longer boarding times.
- Identify ways to help shorten or prevent boarding situations
Presenters: Maggie Plattes, MD, Hennepin Healthcare, Todd Archbold, LSW, MBA, CEO, PraireCare, and Yasmine Dakhama, MD, Hennepin Healthcare
About the Presenters
Todd Archbold is a social worker, and the chief executive officer of PrairieCare, a psychiatric health system based in Brooklyn Park, MN. He has led numerous efforts to expand mental health services by creating new programs, strengthening community partnerships, and focusing energy on community outreach and educational initiatives. These efforts have included the clinical and operational design and launch of numerous programs including clinics, hospitals, integrated care models, grant partnerships and more.
Todd is an avid writer, including his book Leading with the Head and Heart as well as numerous journal and new articles. Todd was recognized among the 100 Most Influential Health Care Leaders by Minnesota Physician Magazine, was named one of the Most Admired CEOs in the Twin Cities by the Mpls-St. Paul Business Journal, and received the Minnesota State University Dept of Social Work Alumnus of the Year Award.
Yasmine Dakhama is a third-year psychiatry resident in Minneapolis and St. Paul through the Hennepin-Regions psychiatry program. Her interests in psychiatry are broad and include psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, and community psychiatry. She is also interested in child psychiatry and research related to increasing access to mental health care services across the state.
Maggie Plattes is a fourth-year psychiatry resident physician. She completed her medical training at the University of Minnesota Medical School and is currently training at the Hennepin Regions Psychiatry Residency Program. Maggie plans to specialize in child and adolescent psychiatry. Her other professional interests include global psychiatry, psychodynamic therapy, patient advocacy, and medical education.
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