Advisory council urges expanded regional capacity and data systems to address patients stuck in hospitals

The House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee received the Acute Care Transitions Advisory Council report and a presentation from the Minnesota Department of Human Services on work to reduce long, avoidable hospital stays for people with complex medical and behavioral needs.

Assistant Commissioner Natasha Merz said the department’s “vision” is that people move through care levels based on clinical need and receive timely, safe transitions back to the community when hospital‑level care is no longer required. She described a DHS complex transitions team that is currently operating in three regions and handling referrals from hospitals and lead agencies.

Josh Berg, co‑chair of the advisory council, summarized the council’s recommendations and stressed the need to continue the council’s work. “The long term vision of this is to be even more proactive and preventative in all of this so that we can keep people where they need to be with the services and supports that meet their needs,” Berg told the committee.

Why it matters

DHS said people with complex medical and…