Psychiatric Emergency Services
For a life-threatening emergency, dial 911.
Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) service provides a single point of entry for adult patients over 18 years of age in need of urgent psychiatric assessment, evaluation and referral. Services are provided on a walk-in basis and access to psychiatric and addiction resources are available.
Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) is a 24-hour a day service provided for psychiatric emergencies for both voluntary and involuntary patients primarily for the residents of Baltimore City and surrounding counties. The treatment team features a multidisciplinary approach, with professionals from psychiatry, social work, psychiatric nursing, chemical dependency and community mental health.
Psychiatric Emergency Services Clinical Staff
- A medical director
- An associate medical director
- Attending psychiatrist
- Resident physicians
- Psychiatric nurses
- Psychiatric nurse practitioner
- Social workers
- Mental health associates
- Registration/admitting clerks
Patients' special needs, including language barriers, cognitive disabilities and psychosocial stressors are addressed through interdisciplinary intake, evaluation and assessment. Referrals for disposition and community support services reflect the patient's unique needs and the team develops a plan of care that is the most appropriate for the patient.
Services are designed to assist patients in urgent or emergent crises. Medication refills, competency evaluations or evaluations for legal and disability claims will be referred to outpatient providers.
Psychiatric Emergency Services
- Diagnostic psychiatric evaluations for the presence of a mental illness.
- Assessment and reassessment.
- If necessary, admission to inpatient facility.
- Crisis intervention related to a psychiatric illness.
- Linkage and referral to ongoing mental health services.
- Referrals may be given for medical, dental, legal, social, or substance abuse services.
- Ambulatory detoxification services are provided by referral only in conjunction with enrollment in an intensive treatment program
For more information about emergency care at UMMC Midtown Campus, call 410-225-8100.