Behavioral Health Urgent Care Helping People Access Care Quickly
- dmichaels54
- Mar 23
- 1 min read
Updated: Apr 1
In January of 2025, Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services (GCBHS) launched a Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) in Hamilton County. The BHUC is focused on assisting GCBHS clients who are experiencing a need that requires immediate attention, instead of having them end up in an emergency room setting. The goal is to eliminate unnecessary hospitalization, involvement with law enforcement, or other factors that can worsen and escalate the situation.
Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) can provide immediate mental health support, assessments, brief counseling, stabilization, safety planning, and seamless connections to mental health, substance use services, and other community resources.
In some cases, the Urgent Care has been able to link clients to same-day prescriber visits when available and needed. This is possible because the BHUC Nurse works closely with the Primary Care and Psychiatry staff to make certain that anyone needing additional care receives it as soon as possible.
The most recent Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) conducted by The Health Collaborative identifies mental health treatment as the leading unmet health need in the region. Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services’ BHUC is helping fill that void. Jamie Cogan is the nursing supervisor at the Madison office who has observed how the Urgent Care is ensuring expedited access to nursing services, prescriber services, medications, crisis mental health intervention, and addressing basic needs.
“This is how interdisciplinary care should work.” JAMIE COGAN, NURSING SUPERVISOR
