11.9% Of Mental Health Emergency Visits For Medicaid-Enrolled Youth Resulted In ‘Boarding’ In 2022

Among youth enrolled in Medicaid who had a mental health emergency department visit, about 11.9% remained in the emergency department (ED), boarding for an average of 4.5 days before being discharged to another setting, according to a recent study. Boarding was described in the report as the practice of holding patients in the ED while awaiting an inpatient bed. Boarding stays ranged from three to seven days. Boarding was more common among youth with diagnoses of suicide-related behaviors and depressive disorders. These findings suggest that ED boarding is a considerable issue for Medicaid-enrolled youths, the researchers . . .