Removing barriers to treatment of first-episode psychotic disorders.

Abstract

To describe changes aimed at removing barriers to appropriate and timely assessment and treatment of first-episode psychosis (FEP) and to present descriptive data regarding the potential impact of such changes on treated incidence, referral patterns, and treatment delay. We collected demographic and clinical information, including duration of untreated psychosis (DUP), on 196 persons referred for an initial assessment over a 3-year period. The number of identified FEP cases increased and DUP decreased over the 3-year period. The data suggest a differentially greater reduction in DUP in cases referred from sources other than health care. These preliminary results suggest that, when setting up programs for FEP, relatively simple changes designed to improve access may improve treated incidence and reduce treatment delays.