Rethinking Behavioral Health Crisis Care_ What’s Driving Change — and What Actually Works.mp4
Emergency Behavioral Health volumes, acuity, and safety risks have been rising rapidly, increasing pressure on Emergency Departments across the country. In this panel discussion, clinical and design leaders examined the forces driving change in emergency behavioral health care and the strategies their organizations have implemented in response. Panelists shared how conditions in their Emergency Departments made change unavoidable, the operational and patient care challenges they have faced, and how those pressures have evolved over the past five years.
The discussion also explored how organizations evaluated and selected crisis care models, including the opportunities that informed their decisions and the trade-offs involved when choosing one approach over another. Drawing from real-world experience, panelists reflected on how their models are performing today, what they would do differently in hindsight, and the lessons learned since implementation. Attendees left with practical insights and actionable steps health systems can take to improve patient outcomes, increase capacity, and create safer environments for both patients and staff.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Rady Children’s Hospital
Dr. Ben Maxwell is a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist and a leader in strategies to improve youth mental health. He earned his M.D. from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and completed psychiatry residency training at UC Irvine, followed by a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at UC San Diego and Rady Children’s Hospital.
He currently directs the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Rady Children’s Hospital, where he has led innovation and system-of-care improvements. His work includes international initiatives focused on early identification and strengthening behavioral health capacity across diverse settings.
