Goal: Enhance care transitions for people who are moving between various levels of care.

Patients who are discharged from an inpatient psychiatric facility were found to have a 300% increased risk for suicide one week after discharge and a 200% increased risk for suicide one month after discharge. This transition period from inpatient to outpatient poses the highest risk, but transition of any level of care can be a vulnerable time for patients (Chung et al., 2019).

Objective: Provide healthcare systems with information and training to help improve patient care transitions and coordination between systems.

Action Steps

1. Ensure that inpatient behavioral health settings have policies and procedures for follow-up care until individuals can see an outpatient provider.

2. Encourage regular outreach to bridge from different levels of care

3. Transitions in care need to identify and address barriers for aftercare.

4. Provide the patient with local, culturally relevant, community resources they can access for additional support.

5. Include peer support services in care coordination and follow up.