Urgent care for mental health: What types of support are available?
When someone needs urgent mental health support, they have options beyond just visiting the emergency room (ER), which can be noisy, busy, and have long waiting times.
In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that
In recent years, new services have been created to provide faster mental health support. These include dedicated Behavioral Health Urgent Care Clinics (BHUCCs), Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing (EmPATH) units attached to ERs, and mobile crisis units.
This article explains the types of urgent care available for people with mental health difficulties. It also discusses the cost of seeking urgent care and how to prepare for a visit.
Below are some options for immediate
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When people need urgent, face-to-face help for a mental health crisis, they may be able to access one of the following options:
BHUCCs or Behavioral Urgent Care Centers (BUCCs) are stand-alone urgent care clinics dedicated to providing mental health services. A person needing mental health care can walk in without an appointment and receive care quickly or within hours, depending on how busy the clinic is. They are growing in number in the United States as demand increases and ERs get busier.
BHUCCs vary in the support they offer. Some units are open 24/7, and others have limited hours. Some offer help to adults or children only, and some offer both.
BHUCCs are intended to provide mental health support when a person’s regular care team is not available, such as evenings and weekends, or when an appointment is not available soon enough.
They do not provide long-term treatment. Instead, urgent care staff refer people to primary care teams, psychiatrists, and other levels of support as necessary.
The atmosphere in a BHUCC is typically calmer than in an ER, which is important for people having mental health difficulties. Staff are experienced in a sensitive care approach with people in need, and mental health professionals are on hand to provide the care people need.
If someone needs a referral to the ER, staff can arrange transportation and help them receive care quickly.
Like BHUCCs, EmPATH units provide an alternative to the ER for people experiencing mental health difficulties.
EmPATH units are attached to some hospital ERs and serve people experiencing more severe psychiatric crises. They are intended to reduce the number of people with mental health challenges checked in at ERs and having to wait long periods for psychiatric help. Before transferring to the EmPATH unit, an ER professional may assess a person’s condition.
EmPATH units are often more therapeutic, calmer spaces than ERs. They aim to improve people’s experiences and willingness to engage in treatment.
At the unit, a team including nurses, social workers, and psychiatrists evaluates and helps stabilize a person’s mental health. They then arrange follow-up care.
Not all hospital ERs have EmPATH units but they are growing in number.
When a person needing urgent mental health support cannot travel, a mobile crisis team may be able to travel to them. These teams often work closely with the police, crisis hotline staff, and ER professionals.
The teams can assess a person’s condition and recommend transfer to a BHUCC, EmPATH unit, or ER. They can also connect them with local support programs and services.
A person may need to visit the ER when their safety or someone else’s is at risk, and they cannot get help from a mental health team. The following situations may require an ER visit:
If you call 911 or your local emergency number because someone is in crisis, tell the operator it is a “mental health emergency.” The operator can send first responders with Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training.
Using an urgent care service comes at a cost, which varies depending on the services provided and a person’s insurance coverage.
Insurance coverage for mental health conditions tends to be less robust than for physical conditions. It is worth checking coverage with an insurer before the need for urgent care arises.
When someone is having a mental health crisis, the most important thing is that they receive care as quickly as possible. Do not delay getting treatment. Working out your payment can wait.
EmPATH units are considered ER observation units and involve costs for psychiatric and medical services. While some services provided by mobile crisis units are free, others are billable.
The cost of visiting any of these urgent care services is likely less than visiting an ER.
It helps to plan ahead before an urgent mental health issue arises. A friend or family member may be able to accompany you and organize the practical aspects of visiting urgent care.
Knowing the location of the nearest urgent mental health center is helpful when an issue arises suddenly. Keep the name, address, and contact number stored on a mobile phone or printed out and pinned somewhere you can easily find it.
Find out in advance if your nearest center accepts your insurance.
Some urgent care centers have an online booking system, which can reduce your wait time. Check their website or call ahead to see if appointments are available. The staff can also tell you when the center tends to get busy.
Having your insurance card with you when visiting an urgent care center can help staff verify your coverage and calculate your costs.
Copays for urgent care centers are similar or slightly higher than those for primary care settings, but much less than for ER visits.
The information on a prescription medication bottle or box can be useful for urgent care center staff. Take your medications with you and note down the names of any doctors you are under the care of.
Urgent care staff do not have access to medical records, so there may be forms to fill in. If you’ll find this difficult, you can ask someone to go with you to help you fill out the forms.
It is helpful to take information such as the contact details of your doctor’s office, a list of your medical diagnoses, and your vaccination history.
People usually have to make payments such as copays at the time of the appointment, so it is important to bring a bank card or a digital payment method. If you would prefer to pay in cash, call ahead to make sure the center accepts it.
People needing urgent mental health support when their regular doctor is not available can call a support line or may be able to use a walk-in clinic or BHUCC.
If a walk-in clinic is not close by, visiting a hospital ER may be the next option. They may have an EmPATH unit attached where a team of mental health professionals can assess a person’s condition and help stabilize it.
Before a mental health crisis happens, a person can check their insurance coverage and identify the options available to them. A friend or family member may be able to help organize the practical aspects of seeking and paying for urgent care.