A protectED ROOM: Design of Responsive and Acuity Adaptable Behavioral Health Room for Emergency Departments

This article presents methods for designing emergency department rooms that support behavioral health services. The research included a qualitative study, literature review, historical review of behavioral health facilities, observational study of existing facilities, and design of a new model for emergency rooms that addresses patients’ medical and behavioral health needs.

keywords: behavioral health, mental health, emergency department (ED), acuity adaptable, headwall, turn-time, emergency severity index (ESI)