Psychiatric Crisis Unit
In June of 2007, LSU Health Shreveport opened a new unit designed to safely assess and treat psychiatric patients in crisis. The Psychiatric Crisis Unit is an extension of the main LSU Health Shreveport Emergency Department and is located on the third floor.
The Crisis Unit consists of 15 patient rooms with temporary beds. The Unit is locked at all times and monitored by a closed-circuit camera system. There are two nursing stations, a day room for patients, and two resident and student offices. The unit is staffed around the clock with psychiatric nurses, psych techs, resident doctors, attending doctors, and medical students. There is also a case manager during the week to assist with counseling and discharge planning.
Patients may receive psychiatric assessment, stabilization, substance abuse education and referral, crisis counseling, medication management, admission to the 10th floor for extended care if needed, and social services referral. The Psychiatric Crisis Unit works closely with local mental health agencies, Medicaid and Medicare rehabilitation clinics, the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Northwest Regional Center for Addictive Disorders as well as other substance abuse treatment and mental health treatment centers.
The unit continues to receive praise from all LSU Health Shreveport staff and faculty. The Psychiatry Crisis Unit has been successful in providing much needed services to patients with mental health and substance abuse problems, and has moved services to mental health patients from the Emergency Department Trauma Center to a safe and controlled environment.