STAPLES — The Minnesota Department of Health will hold a public hearing regarding Lakewood Health System closing a 10-bed psychiatric inpatient unit at its critical access hospital in Staples on May 14 at 6 p.m.
According to a filing by Lakewood Health System, the hospital will continue to provide outpatient mental health services to the community after the inpatient unit closes.
The public hearing will be sponsored by the Health Department’s Health Regulation Division and will provide a forum for community members to discuss changes in services and available alternatives for Lakewood Health System patients.
Community members interested in participating can register for the hearing through Lakewood Health System Public Hearings in a Microsoft Teams event at tinyurl.com/2p8ttm82 or by calling 651-395-7448 and using access code 777 081 222# You can participate.
More information about the public hearing, including accessibility considerations and a form to submit public comments, can be found on the Lakewood Health System Public Hearing webpage on the Minnesota Department of Health website at tinyurl.com/swfkcuup.
In June 2021, the Minnesota Legislature passed a bill requiring public notice and public hearings before a hospital or hospital campus closes, relocates services, or ceases providing certain services.