Informing Best Practices for Children in Psychiatric Crises: Perspectives and Insights from Families

Abstract

Young children in psychiatric crisis present complex challenges to their families and service providers. This article presents a qualitative study of families’ perspectives on the crisis that led to their child's hospitalization, as well as their experience and satisfaction with prior community-based services including crisis services. Results of the study support the usefulness of an ecological view on child mental health emergencies, and specify the need for the development of a more family-centered, community-based crisis response system that includes secure transportation and access to “warm-line” services. To prevent or curtail hospitalization of children, families require assistance in outpatient medication management, especially timely access to psychiatric medication consults and clear information from professionals about benefits and side effects.