Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry now operates a Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP), licensed by the New York State Office of Mental Health. The purpose of the program is to provide emergency on-campus and community-based evaluation, intervention and treatment of individuals who are suffering from acute mental health crisis.
CPEP services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and consist of the following four care components:
- Psychiatric Emergency Room
- Extended Observation Beds
- Mobile Crisis Outreach
- Crisis Beds
Jamaica Hospital’s Psychiatric Emergency Department provides immediate care for individuals in need of mental health services for a 24 hour period, at which time the patient can either be discharged, admitted to one of our two inpatient units, or receive care in our newly developed Extended Observation Unit.
The Extended Observation Beds component of CPEP offers an opportunity for further clinical assessment and stabilization for patients after the initial 24 hour Emergency Department portion of their care has expired. Jamaica Hospital operates six Extended Observation Beds where care can be provided for up to an additional 72 hour period. During this extended time mental health professionals can make a determination to either admit or discharge the patient with instructions for follow-up care.
The community-based portion of CPEP involves the addition of two Mobile Crisis Teams. These teams provide care to patients who are either unable (due to physical limitations) or unwilling to receive continuing out-patient psychiatric services. These three-person teams, comprised of a coordinator, certified social worker, and psychiatrist, visit the homes of both recently discharged patients, as well as newly referred patients seven days a week. The purpose of the Mobile Crisis Team is to perform initial screenings or on-going assessment and stabilization.
In addition, Jamaica Hospital will be partnering with a local agency to offer community-based Crisis Beds. Patients discharged from CPEP, who are experiencing a crisis with their current housing, will be referred to this service. During their stay at a crisis bed, members of the hospital’s CPEP service will provide regularly scheduled check-ups with the patients until their housing situation has been resolved.
Jamaica Hospital’s CPEP service receives referrals through its own continuum of care, as well as through other agencies. CPEP accepts self-referrals and referrals through family members of those suffering from mental health disorders.
For more information, or to make a referral to CPEP, please call 718-206-7099.
For mobile crisis intervention, please call 718-206-8437 or 8438.
For additional information about the program, please call the administrative offices at 718-206-7135.
