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Psychiatric Emergency Services

San Mateo Medical Center

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency or is in a life-threatening situation, call 9-1-1 and say: “I’m calling about a mental health emergency and request a CIT (Crisis Intervention Trained) Officer.”

We are open 24 hours a day and provide compassionate care for anyone needing emergency psychiatric assistance during a crisis. We provide acute psychiatric evaluation, crisis intervention and referral services. While in our unit, you will be under the care of a psychiatric registered nurse and a psychiatrist at all times. Your psychiatrist will complete an evaluation, make a diagnosis and determine a plan of care.

What to Expect

Every patient is under the care of a psychiatric registered nurse and a psychiatrist at all times. The psychiatrist will complete an evaluation, make a diagnosis and determine a plan of care. Care plans may include:

  • Crisis intervention with follow-up services as appropriate, either behavioral health or substance abuse
  • Medication and stabilization, or
  • Medication and subsequent hospitalization for further stabilization

Evaluation and determination of a discharge plan will be as prompt as possible within a 24-hour period.

Service Location

Psychiatric Emergency Department

222 West 39th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403

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Appointment Phone:

Hours: Open 24 Hours / 7 days a week

About Our Services

San Mateo Medical Center’s Psychiatric Emergency Services is one of two 24-hour psychiatric emergency rooms serving San Mateo County. We serve adults, older adults, and youth who voluntarily seek emergency psychiatric assistance during a crisis or who have been involuntarily detained (5150).

We provide acute psychiatric evaluation, crisis intervention and referral services and are the gateway to acute inpatient admissions. Interpreters for all languages are available 24 hours a day.