PSYCHIATRIC CRISIS-INTERVENTION IN THE GENERAL EMERGENCY SERVICE OF AVETERANS-AFFAIRS HOSPITAL

An after-hours crisis intervention program staffed by psychiatric resi dents between 5 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on weekdays was developed in the g eneral emergency room at a Veterans Affairs hospital to reduce inpatie nt psychiatric admissions. The program offered medication, family inte rventions, and referrals to outpatient services. In the program's firs t year, inpatient admissions during the hours covered by the program d ecreased by 34 percent, for a net savings of nearly $400,000 in inpati ent treatment costs.