Budget woes and infrastructure challenges at Bell Hill
by Trinity Gruenberg
The Wadena County Commissioners held their regular meeting on Tuesday, December 17.
Bell Hill Closure
Bell Hill Director Tim Pavek shared with the commissioners the history and the closing of the Bell Hill facility.
Bell Hill has been serving clients from Hennepin and Ramsey Counties for years, with 50% to 70% of their clients coming from those counties.
During COVID, Bell Hill stopped accepting new clients from those counties, which led to a significant loss of revenue and clients. Hennepin and Ramsey found new places to take their clients, which led to the end of sending clients to Bell Hill. The loss of clients led to a massive loss that couldn’t cover their budget.
The state does reviews every two years, and they have not heard anything from the state or received the paperwork needed by insurance companies.
Bell Hill also faced challenges getting in-network with insurance companies for their treatment services, reducing their client base and revenue.
The aging infrastructure at the 70+-year-old facility also led to frequent and costly maintenance issues. Due to these financial challenges, Bell Hill’s board decided in November to cease operations and place all remaining clients in other appropriate facilities....