Navigating Medical & Behavioral Health ECOs and TDOs

What's the difference between a medical and behavioral health ECO and TDO? And why should emergency physicians and other medical providers know how to use them to get patients the care they need?

In March 2025, VACEP provided an in-depth presentation and discussion on navigating the legal and clinical complexities of both medical and behavioral health Emergency Custody Orders (ECOs) and Temporary Detention Orders (TDOs). 

FBI Resources for Hospitals and EDs

FBI analyst Jessica Young joined VACEP and our peers in EMS and emergency nursing to share the agency’s efforts in combating terrorism and explain how medical providers can support their top priority of saving lives. While we were unable to record the event per FBI policy, we do have resources to share.  

Attestations for NP Independent Practice in the Emergency Department

Emergency physician or NP seeing autonomous practice in an ED? You'll want to review our letter first to ensure training satisfies the six core competencies required of emergency medicine residents: patient care, medical knowledge, professionalism, system-based practice, practice-based learning and improvement, and interpersonal and communications skills.

The latest on the Downcoding case

A judge ruled in favor of Virginia’s Medicaid administrator in their request for dismissal of a VACEP lawsuit where emergency physicians are ultimately seeking to recoup nearly three years’ worth of unfairly downcoded Medicaid reimbursements. But the fight continues.