Emergency Psychiatry and Mental Health: Current Challenges, Innovations, and Pathways to Care

Psychiatric emergencies represent a critical and growing challenge for health systems worldwide. The rising demand for emergency mental health services—driven by factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, socioeconomic stressors, and reduced access to community-based care—has placed unprecedented pressure on emergency departments, crisis teams, and acute inpatient services. Despite this, emergency psychiatry remains an under-researched and often fragmented field, with significant gaps in evidence-based assessment, intervention, and care coordination.This Research Topic aims to advance knowledge and clinical practice in emergency psychiatry and mental health by bringing together multidisciplinary perspectives on the assessment, management, and prevention of acute psychiatric crises. We welcome original research, systematic reviews, and clinical perspectives addressing: (i) the epidemiology and clinical presentation of psychiatric emergencies across diverse settings and populations; (ii) innovative approaches to risk assessment, including the role of dissociative phenomena, trauma-related symptoms, and neurobiological markers in acute crisis evaluation; (iii) the efficacy of pharmacological, psychological, and psychosocial interventions delivered in emergency and post-acute care settings; (iv) the organization and delivery of emergency mental health services, including liaison psychiatry, crisis resolution teams, and alternative models of acute care; (v) the integration of digital health technologies—such as ecological momentary assessment, telepsychiatry, and smartphone-based interventions—to enhance real-time monitoring, early detection, and continuity of care; and (vi) the impact of health policies, service restructuring, and workforce challenges on outcomes for patients presenting with acute mental health crises.By fostering collaboration between emergency psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, health services researchers, and digital health innovators, this collection seeks to identify actionable strategies for improving the quality, accessibility, and equity of emergency mental health care. We particularly encourage submissions that bridge the gap between research and frontline practice, with a focus on vulnerable populations, trauma-informed approaches, and scalable interventions that can be implemented across diverse health care systems. Topic editors: Eleonora Gambaro, Jorge Lopez-Castroman, Carla Gramaglia Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84406/emergency-psychiatry-and-mental-health-current-challenges-innovations-and-pathways-to-care