TEXAS: Clinics Keep People with Serious Mental Illness out of ER
December 09, 2016
A transitional care clinic in San Antonio is providing short-term treatment to individuals with serious mental illness in an effort to decrease their emergency department use. Located at the University of Texas Health Science Center, the clinic serves patients who lack regular psychiatric care and might otherwise seek treatment in local emergency departments. Transitional care clinicians provide psychotherapy and medication management, in addition to visiting with patients in their homes to assist with routine tasks such as grocery shopping and appointment scheduling. While the clinic treats up to 1,500 patients annually, it is unable to accommodate everyone in need due to its limited resources and the high demand for services.
Spark Extra! Read about ensuring access to effective behavioral health care.