Emergency Psychiatry Service |Overview
Located within theDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, the Emergency Psychiatry Service is a consultation service that provides behavioral health services to children, adolescents, and their families who visit Boston Children’s Emergency Department in a crisis.
The goals of the Emergency Psychiatry Service are to stabilize our patients, promote healthy coping strategies, and provide the most appropriate follow-up care.
We provide:
- psychiatric evaluations
- crisis intervention
- acute treatment
- resource referrals
Is your child having an emergency?
If your child is at immediate risk for self-harm or is a danger to others, call 911 immediately.
If your child has MassHealth insurance, you may also contact the crisis team for an evaluation 24/7 at 1-800-981-4357. They can help direct you to the crisis team in your community, who can come to your home to perform the psychiatric evaluation.
In the Emergency Department
If your child is transported to the Emergency Department, they will first receive a medical evaluation by the Emergency Department physician. Your child will then be referred to the Emergency Psychiatry Service for a behavioral health evaluation and make recommendations for treatment. Treatment can include crisis intervention in the Emergency Department, inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, or referral to outpatient services. We will help your family to find the treatment that best meets your child’s needs.