CHA Psychiatric Emergency Service
Please note: If you are in need of immediate medical assistance please call 911.
The Psychiatric Emergency Service (PES) provides expert, 24-hour care for people in severe behavioral and emotional distress. We are located at the CHA Cambridge hospital campus, and we serve people of all ages from across the entire Greater Boston region.
The PES team provides a full range of emergency evaluations, interventions, and referrals. Our philosophy is to stabilize the patient and refer them to the least restrictive setting, keeping them in the community whenever possible. Most patients in crisis are referred to outpatient care or other alternative settings, but some patients are admitted to our acute hospital units if needed. We have psychiatrists on duty 24-hours a day to help manage all acute mental health emergencies.
PES Service Overview:
- Immediate telephone response
- Comprehensive evaluation
- Short-term crisis intervention
- Holding bed capacity
- Follow up services
- Medication assessment and management
- Referral and admission to acute psychiatry services