THA and its members have for the last three years worked closely with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) and the Tennessee College of Emergency Physicians to address the issue of emergency room boarding of mental health patients. The statewide workgroup created in 2017 a full report and updated that work in August of 2019. Below are several tools and resources developed by the group and being implemented by hospitals all over the state:
- ED treatment protocols (standard and emergency)
- Emergency Detention (6401) and Certificate of Need for Emergency Involuntary Admission (6404) form
- CON e-writer Website with the state’s form that can be used in a hospital medical record, for example.
- SMART Medical Clearance form Effective 7/1/20 this is the primary mechanism for medical clearance or “medical stabilization” to the Regional Mental Health Institutes and the state-funded Crisis Stabilization Units.
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- June 19 recording of THA webinar explaining the use of the SMART form
- SMART form website includes FAQ document
- Crisis system FAQ
- 2019 ED Boarding Workgroup updated report
- 2017 ED Boarding Workgroup Final Report