What is a Crisis Stabilization Unit?

Assessment and Diagnosis in Behavioral Health Crisis Centers
A crisis stabilization unit (CSU) is a medically supervised clinical environment that may offer 24/7 care and monitoring for people who are experiencing a psychological crisis. The goal of inpatient CSU is providing around-the-clock monitoring to help stabilize the patient – and prepare them for recovery and a return to outpatient status
In any emergency department, a CSU can represent quality, consistency of care and commitment towards behavioral health recovery. Some CSU settings are freestanding buildings, whereas others are embedded in (or attached to) hospital emergency departments. Experience, guidance and commitment to evidenced-based outcomes measurements will serve the demands of your behavioral health crisis unit.
Inpatient mental health emergency services
Horizon Health can support your emergency department (ED) patient overflow by creating a Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) within the hospital. A CSU is a highly specialized treatment setting where people with more severe mental health needs can get the immediate help they need on a case-by-case basis.
Capabilities of a new CTU may include:
- A calm, therapeutic environment
- Peer support and engagement
- Care coordination and medical health assessment
- Trauma-informed therapeutic approaches
- Address co-occurring addiction and mental health issues
- Exit plan for returning to outpatient or community-based care
A CSU can offer different levels of mental health treatments
A CSU may be an excellent behavioral health option for mental health patients who are in a mental health crisis. A CSU often stabilizes the mental health patient so that full recovery efforts may be continued at another location.
A CSU should provide care that is recovery-oriented and focused on helping the patient return to community-based psychiatric care. Other characteristics of a successful CSU might include:
Hospital crisis stabilization units have clear admission criteria to screen for medical or mental health conditions that need evaluation and acute treatment. A CSU is able to care for psychologically troubled patients who would otherwise wait in urgent care centers or overwhelm the local hospital’s emergency room.
Managing a Crisis Stabilization Unit
Horizon Health offers different crisis models of care, which helps serve the diverse needs of mental health patients of all ages. Facilities and hospitals always aim to provide recovery-oriented care, focused on helping patients return to outpatient support.
CSU steps can include:
Step 1. Assessment, diagnosis and customized treatment plans
Step 2. Psychiatric services, medication, therapy and evidence-based treatments
Step 3. Referrals and discharge plans for outpatient treatment and therapy
Horizon Health Behavioral Health Services can then provide your behavioral health unit with resources that provide continuing education and care.
Horizon Health has a proven history of helping hospitals to implement and manage behavioral health programming staffing solutions, community education and regulatory compliance.
Schedule an appointment
Call 800-727-2407 or complete the online interest form to learn more about Horizon Health’s behavioral health emergency services and specialty programs for medical detox and addiction services.
Contact us
Horizon Health, a subsidiary of Universal Health Services (UHS), is a leading health and hospitals management company with extensive behavioral health facilities. Horizon Health Adventure RN, the Travel Nurse Program, offers flexible employment opportunities across our national network of more than 200 behavioral health facilities. We have full-time and part-time positions (20 hours per week) available.