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A calming environment with fast help
- 14 recliner chairs in an open unit
- Serene, therapeutic environment with amenities
- Prompt behavioral health evaluation
- Ample clinical interventions
- Additional wellness rooms available
EmPATH
Emergency care for mental health
EmPATH stands for emergency psychiatry assessment, treatment and healing
Behavioral health
What is EmPATH?
The first unit of its kind in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area and only the third in Virginia, EmPATH is an innovative solution focused on providing a calming, therapeutic environment for adults ages 18+ who are experiencing a mental health crisis and need observation-level care. EmPATH’s focus is on stabilizing, starting appropriate treatment, providing therapeutic interventions, and connecting patients with ongoing outpatient mental healthcare and resources.
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Patient-centered care
Care for mental disorders
When people are experiencing a mental health crisis, they go to the emergency room (ER) for help. An ER, however, may not have the calming, soothing environment people in crisis need for assessment and treatment. EmPATH is dedicated to providing observation-level emergency mental healthcare in an environment designed to reduce anxiety and promote healing.
In the EmPATH unit’s relaxed, comfortable setting, patients receive care that includes:
- Prompt behavioral health assessment
- Group and individual therapy by licensed clinicians
- Medication management
- Family support meetings (as needed)
- Comprehensive aftercare planning
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If you are struggling
Call, text or chat 988. It’s free, confidential and available 24/7/365. In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest ER.
Getting to EmPATH
Inova’s EmPATH unit is located near the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus’s ER. Patients in crisis should come to any Inova ER. From there, they may move to EmPATH.
Benefits of EmPATH
Walk-in care
Behavioral healthcare before a crisis
Before symptoms reach crisis level, you can get the care you need without having to go to an ER. The Inova Psychiatric Assessment Center (IPAC) offers same-day outpatient psychiatric services for urgent mental health needs.
- In-person on a walk-in basis only
- IPAC hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- First-come, first-serve, with limited appointments
- Phone: 571-623-3515
- Patients may be referred to ER for treatment on the EmPATH unit
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