BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS CARE Behavioral Health Emergency Rooms: How Connecticut Hospitals Are Redesigning Crisis Care Behavioral health emergency rooms are replacing chaotic, high-stimulation settings with calmer spaces designed to stabilize adults, children and adolescents experiencing a mental health crisis. Based on reporting by Katy Golvala for CT Mirror  •  July 28, 2026 What are behavioral health emergency rooms? Behavioral health emergency rooms are specialized hospital spaces created for...

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS CARE Mental Health Crisis Centers Offer an Alternative to the ER Mental health crisis centers and EmPATH units are giving patients faster access to psychiatric care in calmer, more therapeutic environments while helping hospitals reduce emergency department boarding. Based on reporting by Grace Rubenstein for STAT  •  April 26, 2024 What are mental health crisis centers? Mental health crisis centers are specialized facilities where people...

EMPATH IMPLEMENTATION CASE STUDY How MUSC Increased EmPATH Unit Utilization From 12% to 40% Medical University of South Carolina leaders improved EmPATH utilization by changing patient-flow defaults, expanding overnight psychiatric coverage, refining admission criteria and building staff confidence in the model. Original reporting by Ella Ruder, Becker’s Behavioral Health  •  July 15, 2026 How did MUSC improve EmPATH utilization? MUSC increased adult EmPATH unit utilization from roughly 12%...

EMERGENCY PSYCHIATRY Psychiatric Boarding in Emergency Departments: A Treatable Crisis A treatment-first approach can reduce prolonged emergency department stays, avoid unnecessary psychiatric admissions, and provide more humane care for people experiencing behavioral health emergencies. By Scott Zeller, MD  •  Published March 1, 2026 Key Takeaways Behavioral health emergencies make up roughly one in eight emergency department visits. Traditional boarding can worsen symptoms, increase agitation, contribute to crowding, and...