The 2024 Core Content of Emergency Behavioral Health

Emergency Behavioral Health (EBH) has emerged as a unique area of expertise that is well-suited to help address the US mental health crisis. Various emergency medicine and psychiatry professional organizations asked the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) to offer recognition for expertise in EBH.

This study aims to describe the process used to define the EBH Core Content through the formation of a Task Force of subject matter experts.

In February 2025, the American Board of Medical Specialties approved EBH as a Focused Practice Designation (FPD). ABEM worked with an EBH Task Force to define the EBH Core Content that would be used as the basis for the FPD in EBH. A modified Delphi approach was used to review and ultimately finalize the elements of the Core Content that include medical, administrative, legal, regulatory concepts within EBH.

The EBH Core Content for the FPD addresses 10 major domains. The EBH Core Content defines the knowledge, skills, and abilities considered essential for EBH practice. EBH physicians have the expertise to provide treatment for acute, unscheduled behavioral health emergencies, who otherwise may wait for extended periods of time for an inpatient psychiatric bed. The EBH Core Content will be reviewed and updated every three to five years. Reviews may be conducted sooner if there are key advances in EBH practice that should be incorporated promptly.

The Core Content will provide the organizational framework for the development of the portfolio-based assessment for the FPD in EBH. Additionally, program directors may reference the EBH Core Content to design curriculum for EBH fellowship training programs.