Challenges in delivery of behavioral health care have been evident for decades. Millions of patients with mental health issues are underserved due to the lack of outpatient resources and inpatient treatment options available to them.1 For these patients, a visit to the emergency department may be the only option when crisis strikes.
Unfortunately, many EDs are not well equipped to handle them. Overtaxed facilities and a shortage of specialists means managing and securing an inpatient bed for patients with behavioral health issues who require admission can take hours or days.1 To exacerbate the situation, new societal stressors are at play as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare systems are already experiencing an influx of new patients with behavioral health issues.