Crisis Stabilization Unit – Towson

Medical Director: John Boronow, M.D.

Service Chief: Merle McCann, M.D.

Unit Manager: Jacqueline Williams-Porter, R.N.

Admission Information: 410-938-3800

Our Adult Crisis Stabilization Unit is a 20-bed unit on our Towson campus that serves the general adult psychiatric population. On this unit, our expert staff specializes in mood disorders, including major depression, anxiety disorders, and bipolar disorder. The average length of stay on this unit is less than five days, with a goal of discharging the patient to a day hospital or outpatient treatment setting as soon as a lower level of care is possible, in order to ensure that they continue to heal and recover.

The role of our Crisis Stabilization Unit is to provide stabilization and treatment to patients who are experiencing a psychiatric emergency or are in need of urgent care. Treatment is highly focused on the crisis intervention model, using a multidisciplinary approach for evaluation and treatment that takes into account the factors that contribute to a crisis. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and aggressive medication management are used as primary treatment modalities to provide symptomatic relief, to prioritize safety, and to allow a focus on recovery. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is available to address treatment-resistant depression.

“ALL staff worked hard to provide a safe and welcoming environment on the floor. The room was clean and provided a healthy place to collect my thoughts, become accustomed to my medicine, and get on the road to recovery.”

-Former Patient, Crisis Stabilization Unit