Psychiatric Urgent Care

We see and evaluate people in need of urgent psychiatric care and refer them on to the best next steps for them. 

Our goal is to provide immediate care but wait times can vary. If you are walking in later in the day, you may have to return the following business day to receive care. 

Licensed clinicians at Psychiatric Urgent Care do not write or refill prescriptions.

What to expect at Psychiatric Urgent Care:

1. When you arrive for care, you’ll be directed from any entrance to the Psychiatric Urgent Care clinic. 
2. Our Public Safety Officer will review prohibited items with you and ask that you secure any you may have brought in. 
3. Both the person seeking care and any accompanying loved ones will pause for a brief metal detection wanding. 
4. Once you come into the clinic, you will register as a patient. For this, you will need a form of ID and an insurance card. 
5. You’ll be asked to fill out a brief questionnaire about what brought you in, any health issues you’ve been diagnosed with previously, and your contact information. There is no need for a referral to Sheppard Pratt’s Psychiatric Urgent Care. 
6. You will then sit in the waiting room until a clinician takes you into a private room for an evaluation. 
7. You will be assessed by a licensed clinician. 
8. When your clinician is finished your evaluation, they will provide recommendations on the next steps for your care. This may include either placing a referral to a program like a day hospital or an outpatient center, arranging admission to an inpatient unit, or recommending other services. 
9. Psychiatric Urgent Care staff will help connect you to whatever that next step is for you. 

To receive services from the Psychiatric Urgent Care, patients must:

• Be 5+ years of age
• Be willing to participate in a voluntary evaluation 
• Be medically stable
• Not be under the influence of alcohol or substances
• Not be physically aggressive, agitated, or dangerous

Items to bring with you to Psychiatric Urgent Care: 

• Medication list (both psychiatric and medical)
• Insurance card
• Identification
• Guardianship, custody, or kinship care documents for patients who require consent for evaluation

Psychiatric Urgent Care cannot do the following services:

• Complete formal medical clearance or lab work
• Complete court mandated evaluations or other forensic requests
• Clear patients to return to work or school
• Assess patients solely for housing or resource issues
• Write or refill prescriptions

Payment and Insurance

Your co-pay is due at the time you receive services. We participate with Maryland Medicaid and Medicare, as well as many major insurance companies (including CareFirst, CIGNA, Aetna, and United Healthcare). Check with your insurer directly to see whether we are in their network for your plan.