KFF Health News (4/11, Berger ) reported a study found that “psychiatric ‘boarding’ – when a patient waits in the emergency room after [healthcare professionals] decide to admit the person – has increased because of a rise in suicide attempts, among other mental health issues, and a shortage of inpatient psychiatric beds” in hospitals. Researchers observed that “the number of cases in which children spent at least two days in pediatric hospitals before being transferred for psychiatric care also increased 66% from 2017 through 2023 to reach 16,962 instances.” They attribute the surge in behavioral health visits “to factors such as social media engagement, isolation caused by shutdowns during the covid-19 pandemic, and the political climate.” Over the past decade, “proposed psychiatric facilities for minors” in multiple states have faced local resistance over fears “it would worsen safety and lower property values.” The study was published in Pediatrics.
Related Links:
— “More Psych Hospital Beds Are Needed for Kids, but Neighbors Say Not Here,” Eric Berger, KFF Health News, April 11, 2025