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EMPATH psychiatric crisis center reports 4,000 visits in 10 months and large drop in ED behavioral-health use
Summary
Eastern State Hospital’s EMPATH center told the Social Services and Public Safety Committee it provided low‑barrier psychiatric crisis care to more than 4,000 patients in roughly 10 months, reduced emergency-department behavioral-health visits and won a national EMPATH award.
Mark Woods, chief nursing officer for UK HealthCare’s Eastern State Hospital EMPATH program, and Dr. Jasinski, chief administrative officer, told the Social Services and Public Safety Committee on June 3 that the EMPATH facility provides low‑barrier psychiatric crisis assessment and treatment and has significantly reduced emergency-department use for behavioral-health crises.
Woods said EMPATH opened July 30 of the prior year as the first EMPATH center in Kentucky and that it has expanded from 12 to 16 chairs with plans to reach 24. EMPATH accepts walk-ins and provides in-person psychiatric evaluation within 30 minutes (often within 10 minutes), starts treatment and stabilizes patients for up to 23 hours. Peer-support specialists and on-site…
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