A hospital-based emergency psychiatric service, ECMC’s CPEP (Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program) is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to treat patients of all ages. As one of the largest CPEP programs in New York State, it utilizes an entire floor in the Behavioral Health Outpatient Center to serve adults, children, and adolescents in crisis.
In addition to our on-site emergency services, the CPEP program includes:
- Extended Observation Unit that permits further assessment, evaluation, and treatment
- Mobile Crisis Outreach that can provide psychiatric crisis treatment in a patient’s home
- Crisis Residency – Provides short-term emergency housing for patients with a mental illness who can care for themselves
- Children’s Services, including:
- An inpatient adolescent unit
- Mobile outreach for children and adolescents
- Home-Based Crisis Intervention – a short-term (4–6 week) crisis intervention and family education program
The Admission Process
Individuals seeking access to CPEP must begin by visiting the regular hospital emergency room. From there, they are directed to either the adult or child and adolescent section of CPEP for a psychiatric evaluation. Patients may come to CPEP by themselves or accompanied by family or friends. In certain cases, patients may be brought to CPEP by officials who have taken them into custody due to the risk they pose to themselves or others.
What to Bring
We know that visiting CPEP can be a stressful experience. For the smoothest experience, patients and their families should bring the following information:
- A list of the patient’s current medications
- Contact information for any psychiatrists, counselors, or other mental health providers currently treating the patient
- Evidence supporting the need for psychiatric evaluation (e.g., suicide note)
- Advanced directives
- Insurance card
Please do not bring any sharp objects or items of personal value (including large sums of money, jewelry, or cell phones). Additionally, please do not bring smoking materials—they may be considered unsafe and will be locked up.
What to Expect
The nature of conditions treated within CPEP means that patients and their families can expect certain protocols to be in place when they arrive. Because CPEP is a locked psychiatric emergency department, patient belongings are evaluated for items that could pose a safety risk. Patients, family members, and visitors will be scanned with a metal detector before entering the CPEP area. Any items that could be safety risks will be locked up until the patient is ready to be discharged.
From there, patients and their families can expect to meet a team of CPEP experts, including:
- A psychiatric nurse, who takes vital signs, medical history, and gathers any information relevant to the current issue.
- A psychiatrist, who performs an emergency psychiatric evaluation of the current episode, past mental health history, other health history, family history, social environment, and current status.
After Evaluation
After a patient is evaluated, their psychiatrist will make patient care recommendations. Care plans may include:
- Admission –The patient will be admitted to the hospital’s psychiatric unit or transferred to an alternate facility. Children under 12 will be transferred to a specialized facility.
- Extended Observation Bed (EOB) – Here, a patient will be evaluated for up to 72 hours.
- Discharge –The patient will be discharged home or to another safe environment. The patient will be connected to outpatient services as needed.
Partial Hospitalization Program
This three- to four-week outpatient program enables patients to receive treatment five days a week for six hours each day. It is designed for people experiencing acute psychiatric symptoms which impair functioning at home or at work. Patients and staff work together to stabilize acute symptoms in order to avoid hospitalization or to reduce the length of their hospital stay. Treatment is provided by a team of nurses, social workers, and psychiatrists. Each patient is assigned a primary therapist who, together with the treatment team, coordinates their individualized treatment. The program involves family and significant others by offering sessions where loved ones can discuss care coordination, support, and community resources.
Visiting Hours
Adult Units
Available 7 days a week, including weekends and holidays.
By appointment only, following a phone call to the inpatient unit where the patient is receiving their treatment.
Adolescent Units
Available 7 days a week, including weekends and holidays.
By appointment only, following a phone call to the inpatient adolescent unit where the patient is receiving their treatment.
