Temporary Placement or Respite
When temporary placement or respite is needed, always start by brainstorming informal options. Encourage caregivers to identify trusted family, friends, neighbors, or faith/cultural community members who can help with short-term care or supervision.
Key Referrals
A Child with High Behavior, Mental Health or Medical Needs
Ramsey County Child Protective Services
When a parent/caregiver is temporarily unable to care for a child and informal kinship care is not available, Ramsey County Child Protection staff can arrange a short-term, voluntary placement. This may be especially indicated if the child has high behavior, mental health or medical needs.
The child may be placed with:
- A relative
- A shelter
- A licensed non-relative foster home
A Voluntary Placement Agreement must be signed by the caregiver. The agreement is time-limited and intended for situations such as:
- Hospitalization of a parent/caregiver
- Exhaustion or caregiver burnout
- Short-term family emergencies
To request or discuss a Voluntary Placement
- Call Ramsey County Child Protective Services at 651-266-4500
- Or Submit a report
Crisis Child Care or Respite
STAR House (previously known as Ramsey Crisis Nursery).
- Birth through age 6 can stay for up to 48 hours at a time from Friday until Sunday.
- STAR House is not able to care for youth with high behavior, mental health or medical needs.
- Call 651-356-8678
Together for Good
- A Christian organization that partners with local churches and trained volunteers to provide respite and temporary overnight care.
- Together for Good is not able to care for youth with high behavior, mental health or medical needs.
- Call 507-218-4666
If DD services are in place
Metro Crisis Coordination Program
- Must have Developmental Disability diagnosis or related condition
- Must have county case manager (CADI waiver or DD)
- Crisis respite beds, crisis stabilization, behavioral assessment, caregiver training and service referrals
- 612.869.6811 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or use referral form
- All referrals made to MCCP are subject to approval by the client’s County Case Manager as well as the client’s guardian/conservator. If you are a family member or residential provider, please make sure that you have permission from the Case Manager before making this referral.
Hospital Social Worker
- If the parent is hospitalized, ask the hospital social worker to assist with temporary childcare arrangements or connecting families to respite and community resources.
Think Outside the Box
- If a child has high behavior, mental health or medical needs but SIBLINGS do not... the siblings may be eligible for crisis childcare, respite, or ongoing childcare options. This can give the caregiver a break from managing multiple children while still keeping the child with higher needs at home with supports.
- Sometimes the best approach is not placing the child, but supporting the CAREGIVER. If the parent/caregiver is experiencing burnout, exhaustion, or a mental health crisis, they may be eligible for short-term inpatient or crisis residence care such as: Regions Hospital, M Health Fairview or Diane Ahrens Crisis Residence. While the caregiver receives treatment, Ramsey County Child Protection can arrange a Voluntary Placement Agreement so the children are temporarily placed with a relative, shelter, or foster home.
- If ongoing respite is needed... consider a mentor agency for the child and/or siblings such as Bolder Options or Big Brothers Big Sisters. These are not crisis solutions- there are often wait lists.