Caller: My daughter. She has multiple cuts on her arms, legs and stomach. She needs help right now - what can I do? Emergency Department ED visits for adults and children in psychiatric crisis have steadily increased across the US, reaching levels that many have called unsustainable.
Nationally, 1 in 8 visits to an ED is related to mental health or substance abuse. On an average day in Montana, patients seek mental health services at the Billings Clinic Emergency Department. The highest single- day count in recent memory was Once in the ED at Billings Clinic, patients in crisis receive two separate evaluations. First, they receive a medical evaluation to determine if a medical illness or injury may be causing or exacerbating the psychiatric problem.
Once that is complete, an individualized psychiatric assessment is performed by a mental health professional. Because two unique assessments are required, length of stay in the ED can be more than twice as long for patients with mental health issues compared to patients with medical conditions only.
In the past year, 2, individuals received inpatient psychiatric care at Billings Clinic. The Billings Clinic Behavioral Health Center provides outpatient access to psychiatrists, therapists, and specialists in addictions, substance use, and other areas. In the past year alone, the Center completed 22, patient appointments. This includes opening behavioral health services at Billings Clinic Bozeman to help serve the growing need in Gallatin County. In total, Billings Clinic now employs over physicians, nurses, and other staff in mental and behavioral health services.
Finding better ways to meet the unique mental and behavioral health care needs of the region has led Billings Clinic to innovate, resulting in well-deserved regional and national recognition. Some of the most highly acclaimed initiatives include:. There are many challenges in providing mental health care — a growing shortage of trained mental health professionals, more people than ever seeking care, and limited community resources.
