The Minnesota Legislature established Children’s Mental Health Collaboratives and Family Services Collaboratives in 1993 as an innovative approach to address the needs of children and youth who face complex challenges involving them and their families with multiple service systems. Collaboratives promote promising prevention and early intervention strategies through an expansive public health approach encompassing all developmental dimensions of well-being (cognitive, social, emotional/behavioral, physical, environmental, economic, spiritual, and educational/vocational).

Minnesota statute directs collaboratives to establish an integrated mental health service system to target the multisystem needs of children and youth with or at risk for mental health concerns and their families.

The Hennepin County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative (CMHC) is a comprehensive, integrated, and culturally responsive children’s mental health service system that meets the mental health needs of Hennepin County children, youth, and their families in the least restrictive and most appropriate setting.

Our mission is to provide a forum for a diverse and representative group of system stakeholders to influence the development and ongoing operation of an accessible and effective children’s mental health service system within Hennepin County. The CMHC promotes innovative service development and continuous quality improvement in the children’s mental health system by embracing the system of care principles and available research on children’s mental health services.