Resources for Early Psychosis
What Is Early Psychosis?
Psychosis is a condition where a person loses contact with reality and may experience paranoia, delusions or hallucinations. It often begins in late teens to mid-20s. About 100,000 adolescents and young adults experience early psychosis, sometimes referred to as first episode psychosis, each year.
Early treatment increases the chance of successful recovery. Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) is an effective treatment for early psychosis. It includes:
- Recovery-oriented individual or group psychotherapy
- Family education and support
- Medication (pharmacotherapy)
- Supported employment/education
- Case management
Finding Help for Early Psychosis
There are several organizations that can assist families who are looking for early psychosis treatment programs.
- Early Assessment and Support Alliance (EASA) offers National Early Psychosis Directory that lists early psychosis programs.
- Prodrome and Early Psychosis Program Network (PEPPNET) supports an Interactive Map of Early Psychosis Programs that offer services to people who are at risk for or are experiencing early psychosis.
Other Behavioral Health Treatment Services
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides this online treatment locator. The locator identifies mental health and substance use treatment options to address behavioral health problems other than early psychosis.
Resources
The EPINET National Data Coordinating Center (ENDCC) will continue to build and expand upon these resources for patients and families, administrators and clinicians, health policymakers, and researchers. Research findings and tools from EPINET will also be made available through this page.
Fact Sheets
Fact Sheet on Psychosis
This National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) fact sheet describes psychosis and provides a short overview of coordinated specialty care.
Coordinated Specialty Care Fact Sheet and Checklist
This NIMH fact sheet provides an overview of the components of Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC).
Web Pages
Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE)
The NIMH web pages provide an overview of the RAISE research initiative that provides the evidence for the effectiveness of the coordinated specialty care model and strategies for putting the model into practice.