RALEIGH, NC — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has officially transformed the state’s mental health response by launching a nation-first, hourly automated bed registry. The system, known as the Behavioral Health Statewide Central Availability Navigator (BH SCAN), is now fully integrated with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, ensuring that people in crisis receive care without the dangerous "waiting game" of the past.
Direct Support for 988 and Mobile Crisis
This integration allows 988 call center dispatchers to connect directly to BH SCAN to view mental health bed availability in a caller's specific area. This real-time access ensures there are no disruptions to care when mobile crisis teams are dispatched, as they now know exactly where an available bed is located before a patient ever reaches an emergency department.
The Power of Automation: A 1,400% Accuracy Surge
Previously, the BH SCAN relied on hospital staff to manually update bed counts just once per day. This lag often led to inaccurate information and significant delays in finding placements.
With the new Automated Bed Availability (ABA) function, North Carolina has become the first state in the country to implement hourly automated updates. Since this expansion went live, the state has experienced a 1,400% increase in bed updates per day, giving providers an incredibly accurate, up-to-the-minute map of available help.
Comprehensive Scope of Care
BH SCAN currently provides visibility into 80% of the state’s total inpatient psychiatric capacity—covering more than 3,500 beds in 112 facilities. These include:
Inpatient psychiatric beds and state hospitals
Alcohol and drug abuse treatment centers
Substance use disorder care
Behavioral health urgent care
Pediatric residential care and facility-based care
The Path to 2027
The secure portal allows referring facilities to search based on precise criteria, including demographics, acuity, and commitment status. While the system is already handling the vast majority of beds, NCDHHS has set a firm goal to have 100% of providers on the ABA enhancement by early 2027.
"Finding an appropriate bed based on someone’s medical needs can be a time-intensive process," said Kelly Crosbie, Director of the NCDHHS Division of Mental Health. "BH SCAN is helping simplify this so people receive help quicker."