Department of Emergency Psychiatry

This subspecialty department operates the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP), offering 24/7 evaluation and crisis care for patients in mental health emergencies.

About

Program Overview

Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) offers 24/7 hospital-based emergency psychiatric program to help any patients in a mental health crisis. This program is embedded with the emergency department as a consult program. The care team includes emergency medicine physicians, nurses, social workers, psychiatric techs and licensed professional counselors; including a psychiatrist on call at all times. The team determines a treatment plan which may include a psychiatric evaluation and treatment including med management, social work assessment, behavioral skills education, access to individual and group therapy, referral to community resources and inpatient psychiatric care at Carilion Clinic or another facility. 

Virginia Tech Carilion Partnership

The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) formed out of an innovative public-private partnership with Virginia Tech. Together, we are working to transform mental health care by educating the physician leaders of tomorrow. VTCSOM uses a patient-centered curriculum designed to develop physicians who can take research from the lab to patient treatment. Students learn, train and work side by side with Carilion’s highly experienced psychiatry staff.

Mission, Goals and Strengths

Mission Statement

As a team we provide mental health stabilization services by collaborating with the patient, emergency medical and psychiatric professionals using assessment, evaluation, education, and referrals to resources so that our patients can start their journey to return safety back into the community.

Goals

  • To provide emergency evaluation, care, treatment and observation in a safe and comfortable environment.
  • To provide faster access to definitive treatment in an ED/Observation setting.
  • To reduce the number of admissions or transfers to inpatient facilities/state facilities.
  • To provide prompt connections for the behavioral health population to community resources

Strengths

  • Collaboration with emergency services, patient and their family, and community partners.
  • Interdisciplinary team including psychiatrists, nurse practioners, registered nurses, psychiatric technicians, social workers, licensed counselors.
  • Prompt follow up in our GAP Care clinic.
     

Message from Leadership

Welcome and thank you for your interest in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine's division of Emergency Psychiatry. We are grateful that Carilion Clinic’s community has trusted us with the care of their families. We strive to care for every patient in our community with kindness and excellence. Patient care is always our first priority.

Emergency Psychiatry's center of focus is collaborative patient care, and we work constantly to educate, train and improve our methods by means of education and the latest treatment. We have residents and medical students who are trained annually on clinical rotations.

Our physician leaders have expertise in emergency medicine and substance abuse education.

Moving forward, we will continue to provide collaborative care and support Carilion's mission of improving the health of the communities we serve.

Explore our website to learn about our many offerings and opportunities in patient care, education and research.

Anilla Del Fabbro, M.D.

Anilla Del Fabbro, MD, director, Emergency Psychiatry

Department specs

The Comprehensive Emergency Service Program (CPEP) is a consult program embedded within in the Emergency Department to care for patients in a mental health crisis.

Program Size

  • 2 psychiatrists
  • 4 nurse practitioners (NP)
  • 1 physicians assistant (PA)
  • 1 licensed clinical social worker (LCSW)
  • 2 master of social work (MSW)
  • 1 professional counselor
  • 6 psychiatric techs
  • 1 nursing director

Services

  • Emergency psychiatric evaluation
  • Clinical social worker assessment
  • Nursing assessment
  • Rapid stabilization
  • Medication assessment, adjustment and stabilization
  • Psychological counseling/groups, individual and groups
  • Ancillary therapies
  • Outreach to family and established physicians
  • Discharge planning
  • Access to GAP Care Clinic

Clinical Interests

  • Chemical dependency
  • Community resources/integration
  • Women's mental health
  • Peer support
  • Crisis stabilization
  • Youth stabilization services

Conditions Treated

  • Addiction
  • Bipolar affective disorder
  • Chemical dependency
  • Depression
  • Behavioral and emotional disorders in children
  • Schizophrenia
  • Mood disorder
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Psychotic disorders
  • Anxiety disorder
  • Paranoia

Specialties within Department

  • Inpatient psychotherapy and counseling services
  • ED Bridge to Treatment Program
  • Collaborative care

Awards

  • Dr. Del Fabbro - Faculty of the Year (2022)

Areas We Serve

  • Roanoke Valley
  • New River Valley

Contact and Careers

Contact

Alexis Copus, director of CPEP, abcopus@carilionclinic.org, 540-240-1179
Anilla Del Fabbro, medical director of Emergency Services, adelfabbro@carilionclinic.org, 540-339-8366

Education

FAQs

Programs:
ED Bridge to Treatment
Peer Recovery Support
Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP)