Lake Region Healthcare Public Hearing

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) held a public hearing on Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. on Lake Region Healthcare’s closure of its voluntary admission inpatient mental health unit in Fergus Falls.

With the closing of its inpatient mental health unit, Lake Region Healthcare will partner with other regional inpatient units to provide these services, according to the submission it filed with MDH. Lake Region Healthcare plans to continue offering out-patient mental health services and programming for continued access to mental health services at its Fergus Falls facility. 

More information is available in the MDH news release: Public hearing set for February 20 on Lake Region Healthcare closure of voluntary admission inpatient mental health unit.

• Hospital name: Lake Region Healthcare Fergus Falls
• Hospital owner: Lake Region Healthcare
• Hospital location: Fergus Falls, Minnesota
• Proposed service change: Closure of Lake Region Healthcare's voluntary admission inpatient mental health unit 
• Public hearing date and time: Feb. 20, 2024, at 6 p.m. (via Teams)

The Minnesota Department of Health serves as a facilitator to ensure there is public discussion and engagement for any proposed closure, reduction of services or relocation of services for a hospital or hospital campus as outlined in Minnesota Statutes Section 144.555.

This statute gives MDH the authority to hold the meeting and to inform the public but not to change, delay or prevent the proposed changes, closures or relocations.

Call documents

• Slides: 2024-02-20 Lake Region Healthcare Cessation of Inpatient Mental Health Presentation (PDF)
• Transcript: 2024-02-20 Lake Region Healthcare Cessation of Inpatient Mental Health Transcript (PDF)