Understanding the Pediatric Mental Health System

What are crisis and emergency mental health services for kids?

In general, if there is an imminent threat to your child’s safety, it is best to seek emergency care. When it comes to mental health, some of the most common reasons kids visit the emergency room are having suicidal thoughts, attempting suicide, worsening depression or anxiety, or uncontrollable behavior. Emergency mental health services are designed to make sure your child is safe, assess their mental health needs and safely get them to the best care.

When you arrive at the emergency room, the team will assess your child to determine how immediate their needs are. Doctors will medically stabilize your child first, if necessary.

After your child is deemed medically stable, they will likely go through a screening process that includes ensuring they don’t have any dangerous items and mental health assessments or screenings with providers who specialize in behavioral health. From there, your child’s care team will decide what level of care is needed to treat your child’s behavioral health needs. Visits to the emergency room for mental health take an average of 12 hours. Though this process is long, it is absolutely necessary for kids whose safety is at risk. This is often critical in getting them through a period of crisis safely.

Does insurance cover emergency mental health care?

If there is time when you first get to the emergency room, you will go through a registration process where the care team will go over insurance. If there’s no time, the team will come to your child’s room later to talk with you about this information. Depending on your insurance plan, you may have to pay a copay or coinsurance. If you need help paying or have questions, your care team can refer you to financial counseling.

If your child’s care team decides they should go to an inpatient unit, they can help you understand how much your insurance might cover at different hospitals.

What is my child’s primary care physician’s role in a mental health crisis?

After an emergency visit, your child’s primary care physician (PCP) may receive a discharge summary with details of the care your child received while in the emergency department. It can be helpful to schedule a follow-up visit with your child’s PCP to make sure you get any necessary referrals, medication refills or resources.

What comes after a mental health emergency or crisis visit?

Emergency visits can be very stressful for all members of the family. Before you leave the ER, a team member will likely discuss next steps with you to make the transition easier. This may include seeking family therapy, safety planning, and ensuring your child doesn’t have access to dangerous items like weapons or medication. If providers don’t recommend inpatient care, your child’s care team may make referrals for a different level of mental health care after they’re sure your child is safe. 

Learn about common mental health conditions

If an emergency has revealed that your child is dealing with a mental health condition, you probably have a lot of questions. Learn more about common conditions that can lead to a mental health crisis.

• Anxiety disorders
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression
• Disordered eating
• Posttraumatic stress disorder