Lexington, Kentucky (July 30, 2024) – Community and state leaders joined UK Healthcare officials today to celebrate the opening of a new emergency unit dedicated to treating patients in mental health crisis.
The unit, known as EmPATH (Emergency Psychiatric Evaluation, Treatment and Healing), is the first of its kind in Kentucky. The UK Healthcare EmPATH Psychiatric Unit will open on the grounds of Eastern State Hospital on July 30 at 7 p.m.
“Improving access to mental health care is one of the most important steps we can take to create a healthier state for all families,” said Rocky Adkins, Senior Advisor to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. “The EmPATH Unit will be a critical resource for Central Kentucky residents, and I applaud UK Healthcare, New Vista and Eastern State Hospital for working together to bring the EmPATH Unit to Kentucky.”
Currently, there are only about 30 EmPATH units in the United States, but UK HealthCare and New Vista worked with leadership at the Department of Health and Family Services to bring this new emergency behavioral health care model to Kentucky.
“The EmPATH model is revolutionizing mental health care, and we are proud to open this unit as the first in our state,” said Robert S. DiPaola, M.D., co-vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Kentucky. “For many, seeking care for mental health issues can be difficult, stressful and even frightening. EmPATH uses a proven, evidence-based approach that allows our behavioral health team to provide accessible, prompt and appropriate assessment and care in an environment that is conducive to patients’ healing.”
Developed by internationally known emergency psychiatry expert Scott Zeller, MD, the EmPATH Unit is a carefully designed physical environment to ensure patients with acute mental illnesses receive immediate support. The Unit is not a separate treatment room, but a large open space with comfortable seating. Upon arrival, patients interact with supportive care providers, including psychiatrists, nurses, social workers and even peer support specialists, and can stay in the Unit for up to 23 hours.
Dr. Lindsay Jasinski, Eastern’s chief administrative officer and a psychologist, said one of the main reasons this model has been so successful is the peer support aspect: Patients get the chance to talk with other patients who are also working through taking their medication, seeing therapy and participating in various programs.
“We have people on this unit who say, ‘Can I share my experience?'” Jasinski said. “It helps to hear from someone who’s been in a difficult situation and managed to get through it. It gives you hope. That’s what the EmPATH model is about.”
At approximately 11,000 square feet, UK HealthCare’s EmPATH psychiatric unit has space for up to 12 patients at a time. Providers and support staff regularly assess patients’ symptoms and develop a care plan, which may include discharge with a treatment plan and connection to appropriate outpatient services or admission for around-the-clock care. Nationwide, studies show that 60-70 percent of patients who come to EmPATH units are stabilized and return home within 24 hours. Patients treated in these units are also much more likely to remain in treatment. According to a study published in Academic Emergency Medicine, 60 percent of patients with suicidal thoughts or ideations in rural areas seek follow-up care after initial treatment in an EmPATH unit.
In addition to providing psychiatric patients with prompt and appropriate care, EmPATH units also help reduce the strain on traditional emergency departments: A 2020 study of mental health-related emergency visits showed an increase from 6.6% to 10.9% between 2007 and 2016. Zeller and Vituity, a physician-owned partnership that helps hospitals develop their own EmPATH units, estimate that 12 to 15% of emergency visits are now behavioral health-related.
However, while emergency departments (EDs) can provide critical care for acute injuries, illnesses, and trauma, they often lack the resources and personnel to effectively treat patients in mental health crises. Because EDs must prioritize patients with life-threatening issues, patients who come to the ED for mental health care may experience long wait times in an environment that is not suited to helping these patients.
Andrew Cooley, MD, is a psychiatrist at UK Healthcare and has been Chief Medical Officer at Eastern Provincial Hospital since 2013.
“Our emergency department provides excellent care and saves countless lives every day,” Cooley said, “but we know that patients who come in with life-threatening injuries need to be prioritized, and patients in a behavioral health crisis will be later in line for care. EmPATH is different. When patients get here, we greet them right away and begin treatment.”
UK Healthcare’s EmPATH Psychiatry Unit serves adults aged 18 and over who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis. A behavioral health crisis is broadly defined as a mental health issue that interferes with a person’s ability to function normally, care for themselves, or stay safe. This can include people seeking treatment for substance use disorders, those suffering from depression or anxiety, or those considering self-harm or suicide. Patients may be transported via emergency medical services (EMS) or self-referred.
Marc Woods, DNP, has worked at Eastern State Hospital for more than 30 years and serves as the hospital’s chief nursing officer.
“Patients define crisis, and we’re very open about it,” Woods says. “We try to immediately assess what their needs are, not just behavioral but basic needs, so our clinicians can ask, ‘Are you hungry? Would you like a Coke?’ We quickly build relationships and not only address mental health issues, but also connect patients to other services to improve their overall wellbeing.”
The EmPATH unit is part of UK HealthCare and has its own entrance on the Eastern State Hospital campus on Bull Lee Road in Lexington. Eastern State Hospital is owned by the Kentucky Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities and managed by UK HealthCare. It operates 195 acute care beds and provides critical recovery-focused psychiatric care to adults across the state’s 50 counties.
Other state, regional and UK leaders shared their thoughts on the opening of UK Healthcare’s new EmPATH psychiatry unit at Eastern State Hospital:
Katherine Marks, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities:
“We are fortunate to partner with UK Healthcare in operating Eastern State Hospital, an essential part of our behavioral health safety net and a testament to Kentuckians coming together to provide evidence-based, patient-centered care. The addition of the new and innovative UK EmPATH Unit on the hospital campus literally opens new doors to provide rapid and effective interventions to individuals experiencing behavioral health crisis and seamlessly connect them to the appropriate, least restrictive level of care that meets their needs.”
Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton:
“Eastern State Hospital continues to be a leader in providing the best mental health care to patients. Today’s opening of Kentucky’s first EmPATH unit marks a major step in providing emergency care to patients experiencing a mental health crisis. This will be transformative for our community. Congratulations and thanks to UK Healthcare and Eastern State.”
New Vista Chief Clinical Officer Nikki Stanaitis:
“New Vista is proud to partner with UK Healthcare to provide a new level of care to members of our community in crisis and minimize the need for hospitalization. As a certified community behavioral health clinic, New Vista is committed to meeting the behavioral health needs of the people of Central Kentucky through innovative and accessible approaches. We are confident that the EmPATH Unit will result in better outcomes for the individuals we serve.”
