Study Suggests New Way to Treat People After A First Schizophrenia Episode
 

Disorders characterized by psychosis, such as schizophrenia, affect approximately 1 percent of the population and for many individuals can have sustained impact on health, relationships, and functioning. Quickly identifying young adults who are experiencing a first episode of psychosis and treating them with coordinated, sustained services sharply boosts their chances of leading productive lives, according to a major study published this month. The study, called Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE), found that people who are provided up to 2 years of "coordinated specialty care" in community clinics had a greater quality of life, more involvement in work and school, and less ongoing symptoms of psychosis than others who received typical care. The study’s findings offer new hope for young adults experiencing serious mental illness.

Members of the Maryland EIP leadership team were instrumental in developing the coordinated specialty care model and in implementing it. The first such program in Maryland is the RAISE Connection Program at UMMS in West Baltimore, the clinic established during this study that continues to provide services as a member of the EIP. Two additional clinics have received training from the EIP's Training and Implementation Support team and launched services in line with the coordinated specialty care model over the last year: OnTrack Maryland at Family Services Inc. in Gaithersburg and the Early Psychosis Intervention Clinic at Johns Hopkins Bayview.

EIP Updates

2015 NAMI Maryland Annual Conference Was a Great Success! The conference was held on October 16-17, 2015 at the Conference Center at Sheppard-Pratt.  Over 200 people enjoyed more than 40 workshops and plenaries ranging from crisis intervention and safety, addictions, barriers to timely and effective treatment, specific disorder and more.

The Maryland EIP team offered four presentations related to working with young adults experiencing early psychosis:

1. Coordinated Specialty Care for Young People Experiencing Early Psychosis and Their Families: A Panel Discussion (with contributors including EIP Director Dr. Robert Buchanan and EIP Training and Implementation Services lead Dr. Melanie Bennett)

2. Early Detection and Identification of Psychosis in Young People (with contributors including EIP Director Dr. Robert Buchanan, EIP Education and Outreach lead Dr. Gloria Reeves, and RA1SE Connection Program psychiatrist Dr. Ann Hackman)

3. Using Evidence-Based Strategies for Promoting Recovery in Young Adults with Early Psychosis (with an introduction to Supported Employment and Education Services, Family Psychoeducation, and Motivational Interviewing)

4. New, Free Maryland On-Line Training for Behavioral Health Providers (with a review of resource that can be accessed by providers state-wide)

For more information on any of these presentations, or to schedule a presentation at your agency, please contact Amanda Mosby at amosby@psych.umaryland.edu.

The  Maryland EIP offers four services to support individuals, families, and professionals who may encounter early psychosis:

1. Outreach and Education Services – To behavioral health providers, schools, and primary care settings.
    
2. Clinical Services – For 12-30-year-olds who present with clinical high risk symptoms that may be predictive of future psychosis, who have early signs of psychosis, or are in the initial stages of psychoses. Services include the Strive for Wellness Clinic, the MPRC First Episode Clinic (FEC), and the Division of Community Psychiatry’s RAISE Connection Program.
    
3. Consultation Services – To providers regarding identification and treatment for individuals that may be experiencing symptoms that may be predictive of future psychosis, who have early signs of psychosis, or are in the initial stages of psychoses.
    
4. Training and Implementation Support Services – Will establish Early Intervention Teams (EITs) throughout the state and create a learning collaborative so that EITs and others providing services to those with early psychosis can collaborate, share resources, and provide support and coordination of service delivery.

All EIP initiatives may be contacted through our toll free number or e-mail. A trained specialist is available to guide you toward the appropriate services. For more information on accessing services offered through the EIP, visit www.MarylandEIP.com.