The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a policy statement on the management of pediatric patients with mental and behavioral health emergencies.
The statement, published Aug. 16 in Pediatrics, speaks to the role that emergency departments play in the treatment of pediatric patients experiencing mental or behavioral health emergencies in areas with inadequate community and institutional infrastructure to care for these patients.
However, emergency departments present a variety of challenges in the treatment of these patients, including lack of personnel, capacity and infrastructure, timely access to a mental health professional and the busy nature of an emergency department environment.
"These factors contribute to prolonged ED stays and boarding, which negatively affect patient care and ED operations," the statement reads. "Strategies to improve care for MBH emergencies, including systems-level coordination of care, are therefore essential."
The statement includes recommendations for prehospital providers, emergency departments, community resources, systems of care and research efforts, in order to improve and optimize care.