Imagine having a child needing psychiatric services, but having to send them hundreds of miles away because all the hospital beds near your home are full. That is the impetus for a bill that would allow a specialty psychiatric hospital to be built in western Hennepin County to serve patients under the age of 21.
HF665/SF615*, sponsored by Rep. Marsha Swails (DFL-Woodbury) and Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon (DFL-Duluth), would allow for an exception to the hospital moratorium by approving the hospital construction of 20 beds for young patients.
Passed 117-13 by the House May 5, it awaits action by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. The Senate passed the bill 62-0 April 20.
The hospital would be a private initiative by Prairie St. John’s, said Swails.
As the severe shortage of child and adolescent beds in the state continues to worsen, the addition of 20 beds would give teens and adolescents the inpatient mental health services they need in a time crisis, Swails said.
Rep. Joyce Peppin (R-Rogers) said the proposal needs more community input, noting neither she or members of her city council were contacted by Prairie St. John’s about the proposal. Allowing a hospital to be built without community input “might make some of your constituents a little uncomfortable.”
Rep. Laura Brod (R-New Prague) said, while the hospital might not be the perfect location, there is a need for those services.
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