For many, stress and anxiety have reached all-time highs—resulting in a mental health crisis plaguing the nation.
Every year, Maryland emergency departments receive tens of thousands of visits for urgent mental health needs—nearly 81,000 visits in 2022 alone.
Emergency departments have the challenging task of accommodating a broad range of medical emergencies. Waiting rooms can be overstimulating—bright, loud, and crowded—amplifying stress and anxiety. Moreover, a large percentage of mental health patients face long waits when it comes to transfer or discharge. For Marylanders facing transfer delays, the average wait is 20 hours, according to the Maryland Hospital Association.
Sheppard Pratt’s Psychiatric Urgent Care is a game-changer, providing people with a critical alternative to traditional emergency rooms and immediate access to referrals or specialized care just a walk down the hall.
Our Psychiatric Urgent Care programs not only meet the needs of individuals facing urgent mental health issues, they also divert traffic from emergency departments, allowing hospitals to focus on delivering care for physical health concerns.
Like a traditional urgent care, Psychiatric Urgent Care is a haven for those experiencing a mental health crisis and people who simply need guidance on the next steps in their mental healthcare journey.
Granting hope at Psychiatric Urgent Care
Our Psychiatric Urgent Care programs have made life-changing impacts on countless individuals; read two of their stories:
Meet Pastor Pamula Yerby-Hammack
Pastor Pamula Yerby-Hammack woke up overwhelmed with fear. Her usual “pray it away” mentality wasn’t working that morning. She was beginning to spiral, unable to recognize the world around her. As her emotional state worsened, she lost her appetite, frequently burst into tears, and experienced confusion and isolation.
Despite assurances of good physical health from her primary care provider, her mental health continued to deteriorate. Unable to return to work and seminary, even her home became a place of fear and uncertainty.
Pam realized that she needed more than prayer to find a way forward.
Seeking a fresh perspective, Pam’s daughter reached out to her insurance company, which led them to Sheppard Pratt’s Psychiatric Urgent Care. After a thorough evaluation, Pam’s care team recommended admission to the Adult Day Hospital, where her days were filled with therapeutic activities and educational sessions.
Pam’s care team arrived at a diagnosis of anxiety and depression. The support and validation she received played a vital role in her experience.
“Sheppard Pratt is where I found help and hope,” says Pam. “It was in this place that I actually found the deliverance I needed.”
Now, Pam spreads the word about mental health and available resources, offering workshops at local churches.
“Sheppard Pratt is right there in your community, and the people there are angels,” says Pam. “They have helped not just me, but my family and other families.”
Meet Sam
For eight years, Sam, a soft-spoken college student in his twenties, struggled with treatment-resistant depression. He was left feeling drained, battling thoughts of ending his life.
Determined to find relief, Sam tried 20 different medications, attended therapy, and met regularly with his primary care doctor. Despite these efforts, Sam reached a breaking point where his symptoms became intense and unmanageable. That’s when his psychiatrist connected him with specialists at Sheppard Pratt, who began a regimen of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
Initially, ECT provided Sam with some relief, but its effectiveness began to wane as time went on.
His care team at Sheppard Pratt pointed him down the hall to Psychiatric Urgent Care. Just a short walk away, Sam was evaluated and admitted to an inpatient unit, immediately meeting his need for more intensive support. During his stay, Sam realized he wasn’t fighting this battle alone.
“They helped me to know that I wasn’t alone and that there are people working really hard to help me, even though my depression is treatment-resistant,” says Sam.
Recently, Sam underwent an innovative procedure at Sheppard Pratt to implant a vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) to deliver gentle electrical pulses to the vagus nerve, helping ease the symptoms of chronic depression. The treatment—which Sheppard Pratt’s Scott Aaronson, MD, helped pioneer—has opened new doors for Sam.
Today, Sam has re-enrolled in university and moved back in with his college roommates, reclaiming many aspects of the independence he had missed. Sam’s unwavering determination and the extraordinary care he received have given him the tools to persevere and thrive.
Hope is Here
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Psychiatric Urgent Care by the Numbers
evaluations completed every year
of evaluations are for youth ages 5 - 17
people admitted to an inpatient unit from Psychiatric Urgent Care every year
people referred to a Sheppard Pratt day program each year