A new ‘crisis nursery’ is now open in St. Paul — the first of its kind in Ramsey County.

STAR House is licensed as a children’s shelter to provide overnight care on weekends for families with personal emergencies.

“We let families define what that looks like,” said STAR House Board President Sarah Anderson. “It might be that they just have been evicted from a home or a single parent needs help with a medical procedure.

“It might be a mental health crisis, maybe a single parent with young kids needs a break. And we’ll give them that break.”

STAR House can take in up to five kids at a time, from newborn to six years of age, for up to 48 hours at a time.

There are two staff members present with the children who are trained in child care, with a focus on trauma-informed care and have passed background checks.

Intake appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 8 a.m. on Thursdays. To request an appointment, call 651-356-8678 and leave a voicemail.

The services are free for families and includes three meals a day, snacks, clothes to wear during their stay and a place to sleep.

“It is courageous to ask for help. If a family is here asking for help, we take them at face value that they need it,” Anderson said. “Evidence shows a crisis nursery reduces trauma in kids, reduces child abuse and neglect and really is a way to strengthen the entire family.”

STAR House opened in November and was at full capacity its first weekend.

Coordinators try to accommodate parenting preferences as much as possible.

“We find out what kind of formula their kids drink, if they’re allowed to go to the park or if we can do their hair, things like that,” said STAR House Executive Director Sarah Ellefson. “And then we have all the gear. We have clothing, changing stations, we provide the diapers while they’re here.”

Ellefson said STAR House has been in the works for five years and is one of just a few crisis nurseries in the state.

“For parents who have that support system, it’s easy to just say, ‘Hey, I’m going to drop my kid off at this family member’s home if I’m feeling stressed and that’s how I keep myself and my family safe.’ But a lot of people don’t have that to rely on,” Ellefson said.

They designed STAR House to feel like a ‘home away from home’ with bright colors and cozy furniture.

“This is set up to feel like you’re dropping your kid off at an auntie’s house. It’s a place that they can be comfortable and play and feel like they’re with a family,” said Anderson.

STAR House is currently open on weekends but they hope to eventually expand to seven days a week.

They have a fundraising campaign with a matching grant for $25,000 going on through the end of the year.