The Minnesota Department of Health will host a virtual public hearing this month on Allina Health’s planned relocation of adolescent mental health beds from United Hospital in St. Paul to Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.

Allina has maintained that there will be no overall reduction in mental health services when the 10-bed unit moves across the river, a claim that has been questioned by the Minnesota Nurses Association, which held informational street picketing against the relocation and other changes in late October.

In-patient adult mental health services will continue to be provided at United Hospital, according to Allina.

The hearing will be hosted virtually by MDH’s Health Regulation Division at 6 p.m. on Dec. 21. Those who want to participate can look online for the Microsoft Teams event “Allina Health United Hospital Relocation of Services Public Hearing” or call 651-395-7448 and use the access code 933 516 723#.

The state Legislature approved legislation in June 2021 requiring a public notice and a public hearing before closure of a hospital or hospital campus, or the relocation of services or cessation in offering certain services.

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