Chicago-based virtual behavioral health provider Array Behavioral Care launched Array Rapid Care, a new triage and routing model designed to address the gap between outpatient and emergency care. The service connects referred patients with a clinician within 30 minutes to assess acuity and route them to appropriate care, such as outpatient treatment or crisis stabilization. This initiative aims to alleviate emergency department overcrowding, where over 20% of beds are often occupied by behavioral health patients.
Array Rapid Care launch
- ▪Array Behavioral Care partners with hospitals, health systems, community organizations, and payers for referrals to provide virtual psychiatry and therapy.
- ▪Chicago-based virtual behavioral health provider Array Behavioral Care launched a new triage and routing capability called Array Rapid Care during the week of September 14, 2026.
Behavioral health care gap
- ▪Array Behavioral Care Chief Medical Officer Sara Gotheridge stated that Array Rapid Care was launched to address a difficult gap between routine outpatient care and emergency care.
- ▪According to research by Array Behavioral Care, approximately half of hospital and health system executives report that more than 20% of their emergency department beds are occupied by behavioral health patients who could be treated in less intensive settings.
Thirty-minute clinical assessment
- ▪Array Behavioral Care Chief Medical Officer Sara Gotheridge stated that the initial assessment aims to reduce uncertainty for patients and providers by bringing behavioral health expertise into decisions earlier.
- ▪When patients are referred to Array Behavioral Care, they connect with a clinician within 30 minutes for a short assessment analyzing acuity, risk, and immediate clinical need.
Care routing process
- ▪Array Rapid Care provides behavioral health assessment, triage, and care navigation support to help frontline providers direct patients to the appropriate level of care.
- ▪Array Rapid Care directs patients to next steps including acute behavioral health services, psychiatric consultation, outpatient treatment, crisis stabilization support, or emergency care based on their assessment.
Personalized Care Pathways
- ▪Array Behavioral Care's Care Pathways create personalized care plans for patients to ensure continuity and carry forward clinical insights to the next clinician.
- ▪Patients entering outpatient care through Array Behavioral Care may be matched with personalized Care Pathways based on the severity of their symptoms and individual needs.
Crisis stabilization services
- ▪For patients with more severe symptoms or increased risk, Array Behavioral Care offers intensive crisis stabilization services to help them regain stability before transitioning to ongoing care.
- ▪Array Behavioral Care's crisis stabilization services aim to help patients regain stability and transition smoothly to ongoing care without restarting their clinical assessments.
Debatable claims
- ▪Virtual triage is safe for urgent psychiatric assessments
- ▪Virtual triage reduces emergency department overcrowding
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