Children’s Minnesota
Children’s Minnesota is a pediatric health system with hospital campuses in Minneapolis and Saint Paul and a wider network of care locations. Previously called Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, it serves children and young people and provides support for their families. Its child life, music therapy and healing arts work connects pediatric care with creative and developmental activities.
Organization profile
- Organization type
- Health system / provider network
- Headquarters / base
- Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States
- Geographic scope
- Minnesota and the Upper Midwest
- Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
- Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
- Children's Minnesota
Medical focus
Activities
Population served
History and name
Children’s Hospital of Saint Paul opened in 1924. The Minneapolis Children’s Health Center opened in 1973, and the Minneapolis and Saint Paul hospitals merged in 1994. The system’s official history describes the subsequent development of outpatient, rehabilitation and specialty care alongside the two hospital campuses.
A December 2024 retrospective explains that Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota became known as Children’s Minnesota in the mid-2010s. The shorter name identifies the same developing health system. Its earlier name remains relevant to the history of the combined hospitals and the services developed around them. The current brand continues that institutional identity.
Child life and creative support
Child life specialists help children understand medical experiences through preparation, play and age-appropriate education. The department also includes associates who organize developmental activities, music therapists and a healing arts coordinator. These roles bring different professional backgrounds into the support offered around hospital care.
The healing arts coordinator connects patients and families with creative activities. The organization’s description includes arts, crafts, music and other forms of expression, with support extending to siblings as well as the patient. These programmes are part of the care environment rather than separate organizations.
Sources: [3].
Music therapy and family services
Children’s Minnesota describes music therapy sessions for individuals, groups and families, provided by board-certified music therapists. Activities vary with developmental stage and may include instrument play, singing, songwriting or recording. The service also works with disciplines such as physical, occupational and speech therapy.
Family services extend beyond creative programmes. Published resources include interpreters, social workers, financial counselors, family resource centres, sibling spaces and spiritual care. Together, these services describe how the health system supports the practical, emotional and developmental needs surrounding pediatric treatment. Individual services and access depend on the campus and clinical setting.
Further health reading
Children’s Minnesota describes specialist care and family education for young people with type 1 diabetes. This guide explains the condition.
The health system’s pulmonary programme includes a pediatric asthma clinic. This overview provides background on asthma and breathing symptoms.
Sources
- Children’s Minnesota: institutional history
- Children’s Minnesota: retrospective on the 2010s, 18 December 2024
- Children’s Minnesota: child life staff and healing arts
- Children’s Minnesota: music therapy
- Children’s Minnesota: family services
- childrensmn.org: organisation and programme information for Type 1 diabetes
- childrensmn.org: organisation and programme information for Asthma
Institutional relationships