Brooklyn Park PrairieCare to Get 30 Additional Beds for Youth in Mental Health Crisis

Brooklyn Park’s PrairieCare facility will be getting an additional 30 inpatient beds, which will allow care for another 1000 kids a year who need psychiatric care.

“I feel as though we are responding to a call to action and now the real work begins,” said PrairieCare CEO Todd Archbold.

The growth is made possible by the recent Health and Human Services bill that was signed into law. Archbold says it will expand capacity of the Brooklyn Park facility from 71 to 101 beds, which he hopes to have in operation in 2022.

“[This] will allow care for about another 1000 kids a year who need psychiatric care,” said Archbold. “Now it’s the time to find great, compassionate staff to help join us in this mission and join with the kids and family who need us.”

Todd Archbold is CEO of PrairieCare.

Mental Health Crisis Amplified by Pandemic

Archbold spoke with Newsmakers about the need for mental health services for children, and says the crisis has only been amplified by the pandemic.

“At PrairieCare, the pressure for services, the need for care has only increased over the last several months,” said Archbold. “Unfortunately, many people find themselves in a crisis and their entry point for services happens to be in an emergency room. We really need to focus more on prevention, education, and other ways to access care rather than finding yourself in a crisis first.”

Archbold says the ER can be not only scary and traumatic, but expensive too.

“We need to identify issues up front. Whether in schools or in primary care to do our best to avoid those crises from happening, to try to make progress toward healing and build that resiliency,” said Archbold.

PrairieCare has 10 locations throughout the Twin Cities and also partners with primary care physicians and school districts to try to build awareness.

“I do think that with the increased demand and stress that so many are experiencing, we really are riding a wave of awarness today,” said Archbold. “Most of us have had conversations with friends, family in the last year about isolation, depression, or anxiety. I think it’s importna to talk about those things.”

Archbold says if a family member needs mental health help, he advises speaking up early and often. Learn more about PrairieCare here.

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