The 24-hour Mental Health Crisis Assessment Service (MHCAS) offers a calm and therapeutic mental health setting to see the majority of emergency mental health presentations and represent an improvement on the service previously offered in busy emergency departments.

MHCAS offers full emergency mental health assessments and onward care planning in the department with a diverse and highly skilled mental health workforce incorporating support workers, peer coaches, nurses and doctors. MHCAS can support every aspect of emergency mental health care planning, from GP referrals to Mental Health Act Assessments.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

• aged 18+
• anyone that would otherwise go to an emergency department for mental health reasons
• does not have an urgent medical need (for example an overdose of medication).

Exclusions

• Those with need for immediate medical intervention such as medical illness or severe self-harm

How to Refer