Inaugural Portfolio-Based Assessment for Eligible Emergency Physicians, Pediatricians, and Psychiatrists Launches in June 2026
The American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) is pleased to announce that the first Emergency Behavioral Health Focused Practice Designation Assessment will be offered starting in June 2026. ABEM will be the first Board to use an innovative portfolio-based assessment method for initial FPD recognition, rather than a high-stakes exam.
Physicians certified by ABEM, the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), or certified in Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) with experience providing direct care or supervising the care of emergency behavioral health patients can apply starting on June 1, 2026. Learn more about the EBH FPD and the portfolio assessment process.
Physicians who achieve the EBH FPD will increase access to care for Emergency Department patients seeking acute, unscheduled, mental health treatment. These patients frequently experience disparities in care based on insurance status, race, and age. Appropriate and timely EBH care can now be more effectively provided to patients who are boarding in the Emergency Department for days, weeks, or, on occasion, months, while awaiting an inpatient psychiatric bed. The recognized designation in EBH takes one step toward addressing this public health emergency.
