Shelter-Linked Mental Health

Shelter-Linked Mental Health provides funding to increase access to mental health services for youth residing in a Safe Harbor or Homeless Youth Act shelter or housing program.

Eligible providers are current Safe Harbor Shelter and Housing and Homeless Youth Act grantees. Shelter and housing providers must partner with community-based mental health providers to deliver trauma informed, youth-focused mental health services. These grants fund operations and services for:

• Engagement and rapport building with youth
• On-site mental health services
• Staff trainings and consultations.

The Shelter-Linked Mental Health grant funds were appropriated by the 2018 Minnesota Legislature. The purpose was to increase access to mental health services for youth experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity who were uninsured or underinsured. The Legislature recognized that many youth in Homeless Youth Act and Safe Harbor programs were struggling with their mental health but couldn’t connect to an appropriate provider. Learn more about the funding in Minnesota Statutes, 256K.45.

Funding information

Shelter-Linked Mental Health is funded with $4.5 million per biennium. There are currently nine grantees, with a median grant award of $400,000 for the Fiscal Year 2026-27 biennium.

Highlights from state fiscal year 2025

• Number of youth served: 1,387
• Number of mental health visits: 5,124
• Number of therapy sessions provided: 3,776
• Number of group therapy sessions provided: 521
• Number of staff trainings offered: 201