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Committee hears Clay County plan, funding request to expand youth psychiatric residential capacity
Summary
Senate File 2022 would support county conversion and funding to open an 18-bed psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) in northwest Minnesota; sponsors said the region lacks PRTFs, urged per-diem and remodeling funds, and the bill was laid over.
Senate File 2022 was presented March 13 to the Minnesota Senate Health and Human Services Committee as a response to an identified shortage of psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs) for children, particularly in the state’s northwest region.
Senator Kupak said Clay County plans to convert an existing nonsecure facility to a PRTF to serve children across a large region that currently lacks nearby beds. “We are taking some of our kids. We are shipping them off to places like Arkansas, for treatment,” Kupak said, emphasizing a geographic gap on a map provided to the committee.
Stephen Larson, Clay County administrator, said Clay County has invested in predesign work and engaged Solutions Behavioral Health to pursue licensing and accreditation. He told the committee that in October 2024 DHS data showed 281 referrals for placement in four existing PRTFs but only 66 admissions, despite facilities being licensed for 150 beds.
Steve Summers of Solutions Behavioral Health described operational costs and urged a sustainable per-diem rate and up-front support to remodel a portion of the nonsecure facility to meet licensing requirements. He said the provider may need roughly $1.5 million up front and that remodeling costs could be in the hundreds of thousands.
Senators and county witnesses discussed funding mechanics and timing; Clay County officials requested DHS support for remodel and per-diem adjustments. Committee members expressed support for increasing capacity but recognized fiscal constraints. The committee laid Senate File 2022 over for further consideration.
