⚠️ IN CRISIS? Call or Text 988 for support, or Call 911 for emergencies. [Not sure who to call? Check the guide ↓]
Are you looking for help for yourself, or for a child?
Select the path that describes you to jump to the right resources.
Taking Charge of Your Mental Health
You don’t have to figure this out alone. Here is how to get support, know your rights, and take the first step.
I Need Help Right Now
- Text 988: If you are overwhelmed, thinking about suicide, or just need to talk, you can text 988 anytime. It’s free, confidential, and connects you to a trained counselor who listens without judgment.
- Mobile Crisis: Every county has a “Mobile Crisis Team” that can come to you or talk on the phone if you feel unsafe. They are not police—they are mental health workers.
Tools You Can Use Right Now
You don’t need an appointment to start understanding your mental health. These online tools are free, private, and available 24/7.
- Take a Mental Health Test (Screening): Not sure if what you are feeling is depression, anxiety, or something else?
- Take a free, anonymous screening to see where you stand.
- Make a Safety Plan: When you are in a crisis, it is hard to think clearly. A safety plan is a step-by-step guide you create now to help you get through tough moments later.
- Create a Wellness Plan: Mental health isn’t just about fixing problems—it’s about staying healthy. Use this tool to track the people, activities, and habits that help you feel like your best self.
Know Your Rights (The 16+ Rule)
- Did you know? If you are 16 years or older in Minnesota, you have the legal right to consent to outpatient therapy on your own. This means you can sign up for counseling without your parents’ permission if you don’t feel safe or ready to tell them yet.
- Note: Insurance statements might still be sent to the policyholder. Ask the therapist about this during your first call.
How to Tell an Adult
Many young people want help but don’t know the words. Try this script:
“I’ve been feeling really [stressed/down/anxious] lately and I don’t think I can fix it on my own. I’d like to try talking to a professional. Can you help me make an appointment?”
Where to Start
- Start at School: Your school counselor or social worker is often the easiest first step. You can see them during the day.
- Walk-in Clinics: Some Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHCs) offer drop-in support. You don’t always need an appointment to ask questions.
Navigating Youth Mental Health: A Guide for Caregivers
Understanding the system, setting expectations, and finding the right door.
Note: If you are worried about immediate safety right now (suicide risk, aggression, or running away), please skip directly to our Emergency Decision Guide.
The Reality Check: What to Expect
- Waitlists are the norm: Expect long waits for therapy and psychiatry.
- Siloed Systems: Schools, counties, and clinics often do not talk to each other. You will likely have to repeat your story and track your own referrals.
- Insurance Delays: Be prepared for Prior Authorizations (PAs) which can slow down access.
CRITICAL STRATEGY: Parallel Referrals
Because waitlists are long, do not wait for one denial before trying another provider. We recommend contacting multiple service providers and getting on their waitlists simultaneously. By providing multiple access points, you increase the odds that your child won’t fall through the cracks.
Your Parallel Referral Action Hub
Use this action hub to identify which departments, clinics, and resources to contact concurrently today to build a safety net.
Where to Start: The Referral Pathway
- Primary Care / Pediatrician: Usually the fastest point of access for initial screening and medication.
- School-Based Programs: Talk to school counselors or social workers. This is often the most accessible option for reluctant youth.
- Outpatient Clinics: Contact multiple clinics for therapy and diagnostic assessments.
- CCBHCs (Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers): Ideal for complex needs (lack of insurance, need for multiple services) or those who don’t meet county thresholds.
- County Human Services: Only if criteria are met. Best for safety risks, educational instability (truancy), or when outpatient services have failed.
Roadblocks: What if the Youth Refuses?
- The Law: In MN, youth 16+ can consent to outpatient therapy without parents.
- The “Medical Necessity” Override: While outpatient programs rarely force engagement, for higher levels of care (PHP, Residential), parental consent can override youth refusal if the service is deemed medically necessary.
- Your Job: Document every refusal and the failure of lower-intensity services. This documentation is often required to access higher levels of care.
Is This an Emergency?
Use this visual guide to determine what steps to take next and find the right level of care on the mental health continuum.
Green Light: Stable & Managing
(Maintenance)
If You See:
- Struggling but still functioning (attending school, taking care of hygiene)
- Mood generally stable
- Using skills independently
Act Now:
- Keep regular appointments
- Focus on connection and routines
- Monitor for shifts to yellow
Yellow Light: Urgent Caution
(Warning)
If You See:
- Worsening self-harm (not ER level)
- Vague “not wanting to be here” talk or talk of suicide without a plan
- Severe withdrawal/school refusal
- Intense new anxiety/panic
Act Now:
- Call 988 or County Mobile Crisis
- Call 988 or County Mobile Crisis
- Increase supervision
- Review safety plan and coping skills
Red Light: Immediate Danger
(Crisis)
If You See:
- Active suicide threat/plan
- Self-harm requiring medical aid
- Violence towards others
- Hallucinations/break from reality
Act Now:
- FOR IMMEDIATE PHYSICAL DANGER:
Call 911 (Request CIT Officer) or go to the ER - Call 988 or County Mobile Crisis
- Do not leave alone; remove lethal means
Youth Resource Directory
Trusted Youth Mental Health Providers in Minnesota
- Sagent BH: Statewide availability. Offers therapy, psychiatry, DAs, school-linked therapy, youth PHP, CTSS.
- PrairieCare: Large system (Metro/Rochester). Offers inpatient, PHP, Intensive Outpatient (IOP), therapy, and psychiatry.
- Washburn Center for Children: Specializes in trauma-focused therapy, school-based services, day treatment, and crisis stabilization.
- Fraser: Minnesota’s largest provider for autism & developmental differences. Therapy, day treatment, ABA, diagnostic assessments.
- Allina Adolescent Services: Outpatient therapy, psychiatry, PHP, inpatient, SUD options.
- MHealth Fairview: Strong specialty services for first-episode psychosis, neurodevelopment issues, inpatient.
- Canvas Health: Therapy, school-linked services, mobile crisis, CTSS.
- Nexus Family Healing: Residential and therapeutic foster systems; often involved in high acuity cases.
- North Homes Children & Family Services: (Bemidji/Grand Rapids) Foster care, residential, school-based, SUD.