More than a gateway: the role of the emergency psychiatry service in the community mental health network.

The authors describe how an emergency psychiatry service in an inner-city general hospital has been able to expand its functions and strengthen its ties to community mental health agencies. A major factor in helping the emergency unit build closer relationships with community agencies is its contract with the state to perform evaluations of all admissions to the state hospital psychiatric unit serving the catchment area. The emergency unit performs triage and provides backup for the agencies, coordinates the management of multi-agency cases, and holds weekly educational conferences for agency staff. Using case examples, the authors illustrate how unit and agency staff collaborate to ensure continuity of patient care.