B.E.S.T.

The Boston Emergency Services Team (B.E.S.T.) operates the following resources, under contract to MBHP, for the emergency care of the uninsured and MassHealth patients. Note that APS is part of BEST!

1-800-981-HELP Operator:

Located at the NE Medical Center and staffed by Masters level clinicians or higher to triage crisis patients appropriately to the following resources:

A. Mobile Crisis Teams:

1. Dimock Counseling Crisis Team located in the S C Fuller Hospital (266-2003).

2. North Suffolk Crisis Team located in the ELMHC (523-1529)

Both teams have ability to see patients on site with psychiatrist available for telephone consultation or for limited clinic hours. The teams can follow the patients for a short period of time, and help patients get insurance and follow-up appointments in community clinics.

Access them directly, but do not give patients their telephone number. Always refer patients to 1-800-981-HELP.

B. Designated ERs:

MGH, NEMC, and BMC are designated emergency departments for BEST. In other words, WE ARE BEST. An evaluation at these ERs is a BEST evaluation.

APS provides medical clearance, precertification, crisis management, and psychopharmacologic assistance for the BEST system.

C. Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU):

85 E Newton St, Boston, MA 02118

266-0727; fax 266-2883

This is an 8 adult, 12 adolescent (ages 12-18) bed voluntary, unlocked crisis bed program located in the S C Fuller Hospital. Attending psychiatrists round at the CSU every morning. Routine labs can be drawn in the morning. Nursing coverage is uncertain after hours.

Eligibility: only MassHealth, uninsured, and some Medicare patients.

Inclusion criteria: voluntary admission, requires short-term

supportive care only, needs help with disposition planning.

Exclusion criteria: significant medical comorbidity (the CSU can

be quite fearful of patients with active medical illness); risk of alcohol or drug withdrawal.

D. 24 Hour Psychiatrist Telephone Back-up

There is administrative and psychiatric telephone back-up for B.E.S.T. 24 hours/7 days. Access this back-up by calling 1-800-981-HELP (MGH psychiatrists cover the system after hours and on weekends). They may call you to provide a Section 12 when they are not home near their fax machine. Please cooperate with their requests.