Inpatient mental health care means staying in a hospital, around the clock, to receive treatment for a mental health crisis or a serious psychiatric condition. It is meant to keep a person safe and stabilize symptoms when outpatient care is not enough. Getting admitted can feel confusing, especially in a crisis, so this guide walks through the usual routes, what to expect, and how coverage works.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. For a mental health or suicidal crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day. Veterans can call 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line.
This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice. Laws on admission vary by state.
Where inpatient mental health care is provided
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Psychiatric hospital | A hospital dedicated to mental health care, run by a state, county, nonprofit or private company |
| Psychiatric unit in a general hospital | A locked or secure unit inside a general hospital, sometimes called a behavioral health unit |
| Crisis stabilization unit | Short-term setting, often a few days, for people in crisis who may not need full hospitalization |
| Child and adolescent unit | Specialized inpatient care for young people, in a children's hospital or psychiatric hospital |
Browse psychiatric hospitals in our directory to see facilities by state.
When inpatient care is considered
Clinicians generally consider inpatient treatment when someone:
- Is at serious risk of harming themselves or others
- Cannot care for basic needs such as eating, drinking or staying safe because of their symptoms
- Has severe symptoms, such as psychosis or mania, that need close monitoring and medication adjustment
- Needs medically supervised withdrawal from alcohol or other substances alongside psychiatric care
Many people do well with less intensive options, such as a partial hospitalization program (treatment during the day, home at night) or an intensive outpatient program. A mental health professional can help decide which level fits.
Common ways to be admitted
Through an emergency department
The most common path is an emergency department visit. Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), a hospital emergency department must provide a medical screening exam and stabilizing care for psychiatric emergencies just as it does for physical ones. The team will check for medical causes of symptoms, assess safety and, if needed, find an inpatient bed. Sometimes that bed is at a different hospital, and the wait for a psychiatric bed can be long in some areas.
Through a crisis service
Calling or texting 988 connects you to trained crisis counselors. In many areas, 988 can link to mobile crisis teams who come to you, or to crisis receiving centers that accept walk-ins. These services can arrange admission when it is needed.
Direct admission
Some psychiatric hospitals accept direct admissions arranged by a psychiatrist, therapist or primary care doctor, or after an intake assessment. Calling the hospital's intake or admissions line is a good first step if the situation is not an emergency.
Voluntary and involuntary admission
Voluntary admission means the person agrees to treatment and signs consent. Voluntary patients usually can request discharge, although the hospital may be allowed to hold them for a short evaluation period after the request, depending on state law.
Involuntary admission happens when a person is considered a danger to themselves or others, or unable to care for themselves, and does not agree to treatment. Each state sets its own process. Many states allow an emergency hold for evaluation, often up to 72 hours, followed by a court hearing if longer treatment is sought. Patients in involuntary care have legal rights, including the right to a hearing and to legal representation. Ask the hospital for a written copy of patient rights.
What a stay looks like
Stays are usually short, often days to a couple of weeks, with the goal of stabilizing and connecting the person to ongoing care. A typical day may include:
- Meetings with a psychiatrist to assess symptoms and adjust medication
- Individual and group therapy
- Nursing care and safety checks
- Activities such as occupational or recreational therapy
- Discharge planning with a social worker
Units have safety rules, such as limits on personal items like belts, cords and sharp objects, and set visiting times. See Hospital Visiting Hours and Rules and What to Bring to the Hospital.
How coverage works
- Private insurance: under the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, most plans that cover mental health care cannot apply stricter limits to it than to comparable medical care. Plans may still require prior authorization for non-emergency admissions.
- Medicare: Part A covers inpatient psychiatric care. Care in a freestanding psychiatric hospital is subject to a 190-day lifetime limit. That limit does not apply to psychiatric units in general hospitals.
- Medicaid: covers inpatient mental health care, with rules that vary by state.
- Veterans: the VA provides inpatient mental health care to enrolled veterans. See How VA Hospitals Work.
- Uninsured: public hospitals and nonprofit hospitals have financial assistance programs. See Hospital Financial Assistance.
After discharge
A good discharge plan includes a follow-up appointment soon after leaving, a medication plan, crisis contacts and, when possible, involvement of family or supporters the patient chooses. The weeks after a psychiatric hospitalization can be a vulnerable time, so ask for that first appointment to be scheduled before discharge. SAMHSA's FindTreatment.gov can help locate outpatient services.