Assistance
Family response and stabilization
Do you have concerns about your child's behavior? Family Response can help, with immediate, in-person support and stabilization for youth and their parents/caregivers.
- Available to families with children birth to 18 at no cost
- Driven by your family’s cultural, community, and clinical needs
There are no specific criteria required to initiate Family Response. Concerns may include children or youth who are:
- Having a hard time with a family member or change in the home
- Showing aggression or anger
- Feeling down or less engaged
- Experiencing worry and concern
- Having issues at school
Our goal is to keep youth and families stable in their homes by helping you determine and connect to the support you need to thrive.
Get immediate, in-person support
Call Family Response
- 612-979-9511
- Available 24/7
When you call, staff will gather basic information and send a family response team to your location within one hour.
The family response team will:
- De-escalate and address the immediate concern
- Engage and support your family over the next 72 hours
- Connect you to other supports, including an optional eight-week stabilization service
For emergencies, call 911.
Ongoing stabilization
After the initial 72 hours, a free, optional eight-week culturally specific stabilization service can help promote your family’s well-being:
- Support healthy, safe behavior and your child’s ability to manage their daily activities
- Build connections in your family and to ongoing supports in the community
More about Family Response
Towards a system of care
To transform the children's mental health system, we're building a system of care: a coordinated continuum of mental health services, designed to meet individual youth and family needs in the least restrictive and most appropriate setting. Systems of care are culturally responsive and focused on the strengths of youth within families.
Family Response is a core service in a system of care. The model is effective in reducing hospitalizations and other out-of-home placements by providing families with immediate, upstream support.
Results
Family Response launched in August 2021. Since that time, outcomes consistently show youth and families are:
- Avoiding law enforcement involvement and emergency department visits
- Maintaining their same living arrangements
- Connecting to community resources
Partners and providers
Hennepin County works with community agencies to deliver the Family Response service.