The American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM), in collaboration with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN), has published the Core Content of Emergency Behavioral Health in The Journal of Emergency Medicine. This milestone publication defines the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities required to deliver high-quality care for patients experiencing acute, unscheduled behavioral health emergencies.
The Core Content of Emergency Behavioral Health establishes a foundational framework for physicians and educators as the specialty of Emergency Behavioral Health (EBH) evolves. The document also supports ABEM’s upcoming launch of the Emergency Behavioral Health Focused Practice Designation (FPD)—a new pathway approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) designed to recognize physicians with specialized experience and expertise in emergency behavioral health care.
“Behavioral health crises are increasingly managed in emergency settings, and physicians need clear standards that guide training, patient care, and recognized expertise,” said
Ernest E. Wang, MD, ABEM Director, and EBH Task Force Chair. “This Core Content lays the groundwork for a new model of practice that reflects the realities of modern emergency care and supports collaboration across specialties.”
Emergency Behavioral Health Focused Practice Designation
The development of the EBH FPD marks a major step forward for both Emergency Medicine and Psychiatry. ABEM will launch the FPD in 2027 and will use a portfolio-based assessment rather than a high-stakes exam, making ABEM the first ABMS Member Board to implement this innovative evaluation method for initial certification.
In November 2025, the ABMS Committee on Certification (COCERT) approved the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) as a qualifying board. The COCERT recommendation will be ratified at the February 2026 ABMS Board meeting.
“This new Focused Practice Designation represents a meaningful acknowledgment of the physicians who have built their careers caring for patients with behavioral health needs in the emergency setting,” said Dr. Wang. “It also underscores the importance of collaboration between Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics to improve outcomes for these vulnerable patients.”
