Hundreds of people remain stuck in hospital emergency departments across Massachusetts, waiting for psychiatric inpatient beds. It’s a problem 5 Investigates first exposed last fall. Now potential solutions are facing a critical deadline on Beacon Hill. Both the House and Senate have passed bills that would address what’s called “ED Boarding.” That’s when patients in need of mental health help are forced to wait in Emergency Departments until a psychiatric bed is available. But, if lawmakers don’t agree on a compromise bill before the legislative session ends, solutions will once again be out of reach. The crisis is especially painful for children and it’s a pain mother Kate Maffa knows all too well. Her own children have struggled with mental health since a young age. “We have had between 25 and 30 psychiatric hospitalizations,” she explained. “That means each time going through the E.R. waiting for a bed.”Maffa said, 10 years ago, the wait used to be a few days. Now it’s much longer. The Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association tracks the numbers. 247 children were waiting in emergency departments at the end of March. That number has gone up and down over the past few months. It dipped to 85 patients last week. But, experts say it’s a persistent problem.“This is a behavioral health crisis,” said Leigh Simons Youmans, Senior Director of healthcare Policy for the group. “The behavioral health needs of the general population have just increased significantly. That volume has increased and it’s also been difficult for people to access care because of that volume and because of workforce challenges.”Simons Youmans says she expects the numbers to rise again in September when kids return to school. On Beacon Hill last year, the Senate passed the Mental Health ABC Act 2.0 aimed at addressing barriers to care. The House passed its own version last month. Both would create an online portal to help find open beds, require a behavioral health clinician on site at all times and create a review team to help make sure children with complex needs get care quickly. But, there are differences that need to be worked out. The Senate plan would require an annual report from the Office of the Child Advocate specifically on this issue. The House plan adds a separate Advisory Council and addresses rates charged to patients who are forced to board in emergency departments. If a conference committee doesn’t work out those difference before the legislative session ends on July 31, neither plan will move forward. Separately, a Behavioral Health Trust Fund that includes nearly $200 million to address the mental health crisis is now out of legislative limbo on Beacon Hill. But, the money won’t be spent until the Trust Fund Commission meets and makes recommendations. Appointments are still being made to that panel before their work can get underway. Kate Maffa is watching all of this very carefully. In addition to helping her own kids, she helps run a support group for parents with children with psychiatric issues. She told 5 Investigates something must be done. “These parents are desperate for help. But, everyone that’s in this group knows that the system is completely locked down, that there isn’t help available,” Maffa said.