Health Policy Considerations in Treating Mental and Behavioral Health Emergencies in the United States.

In recent years, health care providers have sounded the call that the US mental health system is in crisis. With decreases in funding and eroding access to care, the availability of psychiatric services has become increasingly limited, failing to meet growing needs. This article provides a brief history of mental health services in the United States and describes the current landscape of US psychiatric care; it touches upon some of the most important policy considerations, describing some of the glaring issues in US mental health care today. Last, it offers some potential remedies to improve care in acute behavioral emergencies.