Exhibit 23.1

            Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" in the
Registration Statement (Form S-3) and related Prospectus of Psychiatric
Solutions, Inc. for the registration of 3,000,000 shares of its common stock and
to the incorporation by reference therein of our report dated March 3, 2004,
except for Note 4, as to which the date is November 22, 2004, with respect to
the consolidated financial statements of Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. included in
its Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on November 24, 2004.

                                           /s/ Ernst & Young LLP

November 23, 2004
Nashville, Tennessee