University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital received an $11.2 million gift from its lead donor, Caroline Amplatz, J.D., to help renovate the hospital’s children’s and adolescent behavioral health units.
“I am making this gift in honor and in memory of my mother, Maxine Heinrich Amplatz, M.D., who was a pioneering physician who courageously battled depression,” Amplatz says. “I strongly believe children facing mental health challenges deserve as fine a care environment as children experiencing medical health concerns. As a community, we must step up and do more to recognize and support those facing mental illness. Behavioral health impacts us all.”
The gift, which follows a $50 million gift Caroline Amplatz made to the hospital two years ago, sets in motion the initial phases of a $16.5 million renovation effort.
“Ms. Amplatz’s commitment to impacting the lives of children facing physical and mental health challenges is truly amazing,” says Kathie Taranto, president of University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital. “Her gift will allow the state’s premier academic children’s hospital to offer the state-of-theart care environment these children need.”
Home to one of the nation’s largest behavioral health programs for children and adolescents, University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital provides comprehensive mental health, substance abuse, and dual-disorder services for children and adolescents. With 74 beds and outpatient program services, including partial hospital, day treatment, and communitybased substance abuse treatment programs, the children’s and adolescent behavioral health units provide care to more than 3,400 youth and their families each year.
