Critical Conversations in Emergency Psychiatry

Brief Family Intervention in the Emergency Room

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Date & Time:  Thursday, April 23, 2026, 11 am PT/12 pm MT/1 pm CT/2 pm ET

About the webinar: Children and adolescents experiencing psychiatric crises have been rising substantially in recent years. This creates increased demand for timely and effective mental health assessment in the acute care settings. However, many psychiatrists report limited comfort and training in evaluating pediatric patients and conducting family-centered assessments in the emergency room. This presentation will review a structured approach to brief family intervention designed to facilitate efficient risk assessment, child-parental engagement, and, when considering discharge, development of practical safety planning to support appropriate disposition.

Webinar format: AAEP webinar moderators will kick off each session with a 15-30 minute introduction to the topic. The remainder of the session time is dedicated to open group discussion, allowing for deeper exploration and exchange of insights.

Moderators: Jing Chayanin Hamada, M.D., and Nasuh Malas, M.D.

Jing Chayanin Hamada, M.D., is an Assistant Professor and a Medical Students Clerkship Director at the Department of Psychiatry, John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). She also serves as the Director of Medical Education and Patient Care at The Queen’s Counseling Services (QCS)​.Dr. Hamada received her medical degree from Chulalongkurn University, Faculty of Medicine, Thailand. She practiced as a general practitioner for 3 years before attending her Psychiatry residency at the University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine.  She completed her Child & Adolescent fellowship at Tufts Medical Center and Tufts Children's Hospital.  Dr. Hamada is board-certified in both Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.  Her clinical interests are family therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, infant mental health, and medical education. 

Dr. Malas received his Doctor of Medicine and master of Public Health from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He completed combined training in Pediatrics, General Psychiatry, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Malas is currently a Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Michigan, where he serves as the Division Director and Service Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Nationally, Dr. Malas is the Co-Chair of the Physically Ill Child Committee through the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the Membership Chair for the American Association of Directors of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and a voting member on the AAEP Board of Directors.

About the series: This free webinar series is a moderator-led monthly virtual forum for AAEP members to discuss important and interesting topics in the field of Emergency Psychiatry. Webinars are recorded and will be available to members in AAEP's online learning center. 

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