Table 1 Models of crisis care and their definitions

Acute day unit (ADU; traditionally known as acute day hospital)

A non-residential day hospital / crisis day service providing support, activity and therapeutic groups, for people in mental health crisis.

Crisis assessment service

A service which provides rapid response crisis assessment in a community setting but does not also provide home treatment for acute mental health problems.

Crisis telephone service

A service which provides crisis response and triage via telephone only, without face-to-face contact.

Crisis house

A time-limited non-hospital residential service for people in mental health crisis.

Crisis café (often referred to as safe havens or sanctuaries)

A community-based service which provides out of hours assessment and immediate support for people in mental health crisis, intended to reduce pressure on Accident and Emergency departments.

Police and/or ambulance street triage team

A team where mental health staff work jointly with police and/or ambulance services to arrange appropriate assessment and support for people with mental health problems who come to the attention of the police and/or ambulance service, and provide alternatives to using Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 where possible.

Psychiatric decision unit (PDU; often referred to as clinical decision units)

A dedicated space (separate from an Accident and Emergency department / psychiatric ward / psychiatric liaison team) in which assessment can be conducted and treatment plans developed for patients in mental health crisis who are accessing emergency services. People may typically stay for up to 24–48 h.

Triage ward

Inpatient psychiatric wards that admit patients for briefer stays than are usual on acute psychiatric wards. Usually these do not admit people compulsorily detained under mental health legislation, and they work closely with local community crisis services to avoid the need to transfer to an acute psychiatric ward.

Crisis family placements service

A service involving families offering short-term crisis foster placements in their family home for people in mental health crisis, supported by local crisis services.