Assessing Patients in a
Therapeutic Crisis Center Vs. an Emergency Department
eather Koontz, MSW, LSW
Lutheran Social Services of Northwest Ohio
718 W. Market St., Lima Ohio 45850
It is common practice for patients with a mental health or addiction need to present to a hospital emergency
department for crisis intervention services that use a medical model approach or to an outlying crisis intervention
center that implements a community mental health social model without collaboration between the two systems. This
type of fragmented system leads to decreased continuity of care, obstacles to communication and ongoing treatment,
increased admission rates, increase cost to mental health boards, community agencies, and hospitals. This
presentation will cover three main areas. First, it will begin with describing how a collaboration between hospital
and community behavioral health system can be developed and work together to create an efficient system of care.
Next, you will be provided statistical performance measurements that demonstrate the positive outcomes to the
overall system administratively and to the crisis patient clinically. Lastly, we will discuss the impact of using a
solution focused model in crisis intervention that has been effective in reducing the need for an inpatient level of
care that is more easily implemented in a crisis center environment opposed to a hectic and rushed emergency department.
To return to the Table of Contents, click here.