Emergency Behavioral Health (EBH)
Focused Practice Designation (FPD) Exam is in development
ABEM and the ABPN have collaborated on this initiative and together will offer this FPD to interested emergency physicians and psychiatrists. An Emergency Behavioral Health Task Force, a multi-disciplinary representation across the House of Medicine, was established to bring forward this opportunity.
EBH physicians will increase access to care for Emergency Department patients seeking acute, unscheduled, mental health treatment. These patients frequently experience disparities of care based on insurance status, race, and age. Appropriate and timely emergency behavioral health 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 opportunity for physicians to gain a recognized designation in EBH takes one step forward to address this public health emergency.
Questions can be addressed to subspecialties@abem.org