Specialized Psychiatric
Services

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital provides state-of-the-art Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), on both an inpatient and outpatient basis, for patients diagnosed with severe depression and certain other mental disorders, including bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder. The procedure involves inducing a brief seizure by giving electrical stimulation to the brain of the patient through electrodes placed on the scalp. It is sometimes referred to as electroshock therapy. ECT is a safe and effective treatment of depression and other disorders noted above. It is administered by our team of specially trained psychiatrists, registered nurses and anesthesiologists in accordance with standards of Electroconvulsive Therapy Practice developed by the American Psychiatric Association. ECT policies and procedures are consistent with Connecticut General Statutes and with Yale-New Haven Hospital standards of care.

Psychological Medicine Services

Our Psychological Medicine Services comprise an Inpatient Consultation Service, as well as specialized services, for patients receiving medical and surgical services at Yale-New Haven Hospital who have significant co-occurring psychiatric illnesses.

The Psychiatric Inpatient Consultation Service provides psychiatric consultation to patients admitted to other medical services throughout Yale-New Haven Hospital — including internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and other clinical services — who are experiencing significant psychiatric symptoms or problems. We offer a range of services, including psychiatric evaluation, collaboration with medical specialists and arrangement for follow-up behavioral healthcare when needed.

We also provide psychiatric services within Yale-New Haven Transplantation Center, the Nathan Smith Clinic (for AIDS and HIV-related illnesses), the Yale Epilepsy Program at Yale School of Medicine's Department of Neurology, the Connecticut Challenge Survivorship Clinic at Yale Cancer Center, and the Primary Care Center. A psychiatrist and other mental health professionals work in collaboration with medical/surgical physicians and staff to provide diagnostic assessment and brief treatments for patients with both significant medical illness and psychiatric symptoms.

Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU)

The Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU), located in Yale-New Haven Hospital's Emergency Department, provides rapid psychiatric assessment, treatment and referrals for adults who are experiencing a psychiatric emergency with severe symptoms that are difficult to control. (Children and adolescents under the age of 16 who are in immediate danger — particularly those who may cause harm to themselves or others — are evaluated in the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital Emergency Department.)