Crisis Intervention

Short-term intensive services aimed at stabilizing a patient experiencing a psychiatric emergency. Crisis intervention typically uses CPT 90839 (first 60 min) and 90840 (each additional 30 min). ACA regulations and many state laws prohibit retrospective denial of emergency mental health stabilization — authorization obtained after the fact is not required for true emergencies. MHPAEA requires crisis services to be covered comparably to emergency medical/surgical care.