Follow-Up After Mental Health Hospitalization

Over one in five adults in the U.S. had a diagnosed mental health disorder in 2022, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.¹

Patients hospitalized for mental health are at substantially elevated risk of suicide and other serious health outcomes.² People hospitalized for mental health disorders often receive inadequate follow-up care.³

Improving follow-up care after hospitalization for mental health can improve patient outcomes. Timely follow-up care can decrease the likelihood of re-hospitalization^4,5 and suicide.^6,7 Follow-up care scheduled at discharge increases the likelihood of completing a follow-up appointment,⁸ and follow-up care is associated with improved engagement in treatment.⁹

That's why the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is partnering with the Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs or health plans) in Washington to improve Medicaid members' timely access to follow-up care after an inpatient mental health hospitalization.

Resources

We have created the following resources for health care teams to share with their patients who are exiting mental health hospitalization.

• English: Mental Health Discharge Information (PDF)
• Chinese Simplified: 心理健康 出院信息 (PDF)
• Chinese Traditional: 心理健康 出院資訊 (PDF)
• Marshallese: Ejmour in Kalmenlokjen Meḷeḷe ikijen Diwōj (PDF)
• Russian: Психическое здоровье Информация перед выпиской (PDF)
• Somali: Caafimaadka Dhimirka Macluumaadka Ka Bixista Isbitaalka (PDF)
• Spanish: Información sobre el alta en salud mental (PDF)
• Ukrainian: Психічне здоров’я: інформація для пацієнтів, які готуються до виписки (PDF)
• Vietnamese: Thông Tin Xuất Viện Sau Điều Trị Sức Khỏe Tâm Thần (PDF)

Contact Us

For more information or questions, email us at ohis-ptqi@doh.wa.gov.

References

1. National Institute of Mental Health. Mental Illness. National Institute of Mental Health. Published September 2024.
2. Chung DT, Ryan CJ, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, Singh SP, Stanton C, Large MM. Suicide rates after discharge from psychiatric facilities: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry. 2017;74(7):694-702. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.1044
3. Follow-Up After Hospitalization for Mental Illness (FUH) - NCQA. NCQA. Published April 16, 2025.
4. Marcus SC, Chuang CC, Ng-Mak DS, Olfson M. Outpatient follow-up care and risk of hospital readmission in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Psychiatr Serv. 2017;68(12):1239-1246. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201600498
5. Kurdyak P, Vigod SN, Newman A, Giannakeas V, Mulsant BH, Stukel T. Impact of physician follow-up care on psychiatric readmission rates in a population-based sample of patients with schizophrenia. Psychiatr Serv. 2018;69(1):61-68. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201600507.
6. Che SE, Gwon YG, Kim KH. Follow-Up Timing after discharge and suicide risk among patients hospitalized with psychiatric illness. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(10):e2336767. Published 2023 Oct 2. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.36767
7. Luxton DD, June JD, Comtois KA. (2013). Can post-discharge follow-up contacts prevent suicide and suicidal behavior? A review of the evidence. Crisis. 34(1):32-41. doi: 10.1027/0227-5910/a000158.
8. Smith TE, Haselden M, Corbeil T, et al. Effect of scheduling a post-discharge outpatient mental health appointment on the likelihood of successful transition from hospital to community-based care. J Clin Psychiatry. 2020;81(5):20m13344. doi:10.4088/JCP.20m13344
9. Beadles CA, Ellis AR, Lichstein JC, et al. First outpatient follow-up after psychiatric hospitalization: does one size fit all?. Psychiatr Serv. 2015;66(4):364-372. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201400081