N.C. introduces new online registry to expedite behavioral health treatment

North Carolina has instituted a new online tool to help decrease wait times for behavioral health care. 

As the state battles what it calls a growing behavioral health crisis, officials have unveiled a new tool designed to help providers more quickly find open beds for people seeking treatment.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services now offers an online registry called BH Scan. It provides a daily update of available beds, allowing for a more efficient path to treatment.

Officials believe the system can help decrease wait times for patients seeking psychiatric help from hospital emergency departments.

NCDHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley released a statement saying that not only does centralized bed tracking help patients find treatment faster, but it also allows the state to follow how its resources are being used.

According to a news release, the online registry launched with 99 hospitals and community-based crisis providers in its system. The department hopes to increase facility participation in the future.