Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Visit our Locations Page for a map and directions to each county office location.
Adult Mental Health
Please review the information provided on the adult mental health page.
Call the SWHHS office in your county and request to make an intake for Adult Mental Health Services.   Information on how to contact your local SWHHS office is available in the contact us link.
Please review the information provided on the adult mental health page under eligibility.
If you, or someone you know, is experiencing a mental health crisis, please call
- 1-800-658-2429 Lyon, Lincoln, Murray, Redwood County Residents call Western Mental Health Center crisis line
- 1-800-642-1525 Pipestone and Rock County Residents call Southwest Mental Health Center crisis line
- Text MN to 741741 -Free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week mental health crisis line
- If there is a life-threatening emergency, call 911.
Foster Care Licensing
Contact Karyn at 507-532-1217 or Karyn.Groenewold@swmhhs.com to begin the process.
- Register with the Licensing Dept – call Karyn at 507-532-1217 or email Karyn.groenewold@swmhhs.com
- Attend Foster Parent College Zoom classes and watch training videos. (We will register you with Foster Parent College at NO charge).Â
- Fill out the appropriate paperwork, including application, etc…
- Complete background study check
- Work with Licensor to complete Home Study
- Complete home safety checklist and address any safety concerns regarding the physical environment through possible Fire Marshal Inspection
- Complete other trainings as needed
Typically this process can take 3 – 6 months
Yes, you must live in Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Pipestone, Redwood, or Rock County.
No, any type of safe housing like an apartment, condominium, or mobile home can be an option.
No
Yes
Foster parents must be 21 years old or older to foster a child and 18 years or older to foster an adult.
Yes
All medical and dental expenses are provided through Medical Assistance or private insurance.
The length of stay varies for each child, depending on their circumstances.
Our goal is always to reunify children with their biological parent(s). If that is not possible and there are no appropriate relatives, a foster child may be available for adoption.Â
Yes, care is paid for through public funds, and the payment may vary depending on the level of care the child requires.  This stipend is provided to pay for the child’s basic needs.Â
Substance Use Disorder
The SWHHS Substance Use Disorder Unit assists SWHHS residents with accessing assessment and treatment services. Services are available on the basis of need and eligibility.
Staff will set up appointments for assessments and guide clients to treatment facilities licensed by the State of Minnesota, based on eligibility guidelines for public funding. The Substance Use Disorder Unit does not provide any type of intervention services.
Please review the information provided on the substance use disorder page under services provided.
Any individual seeking a Rule 25 assessment to determine substance use disorders MUST apply themselves, regardless of age. Minors have the right to apply on their own, without parental consent. Incarcerated individuals should speak with jail program staff regarding processes available to them to apply or if able call the SWHHS office you are in to set up an appointment.
Call the SWHHS office in your county and request to make an appointment for a substance use assessment with a substance use social worker. Information on how to contact your local SWHHS office is available in the contact us link.
Due to data privacy laws, your information cannot be shared with anyone outside of the SWHHS Substance Use Disorder Unit without a signed release of information from you specifying information that may be shared. Information about you cannot be shared with other Human Services programs or Probation without a release of information. Information would only be shared without your consent if there were a significant risk of danger to yourself or others.
Depending on your insurance coverage, you may or may not qualify for Consolidated Chemical Dependency Treatment Fund (CCDTF) funding. Insurance eligibility factors will be discussed as part of the Rule 24 funding assessment. If you know you are on a Pre-paid Medical Assistance Program (PMAP) for health insurance, you should contact your specific provider for substance abuse disorder services.
Not typically. An appointment will be made upon a call from the person seeking the assessment. Appointments will be scheduled as soon as an open time is available for both the person calling in and assessor, no later than 20 days from the day called in.
No. The process remains the same for all clients.