Coordinated Specialty Care Programs Research Articles

Standardizing Fidelity to Evidence-Based Practice in the Early Psychosis Intervention Network.

This study investigated variations in the measurement of fidelity to coordinated specialty care (CSC) within the Early Psychosis Intervention Network (EPINET), a learning health system that consists of 101 CSC programs within eight hubs. The study investigated the degree to which five fidelity scales could be mapped onto a standard scale. The investigators identified six fidelity scales in use by EPINET participants; examined their item content, scoring, and data sources; and mapped five scales onto the First Episode Psychosis Services Fidelity Scale (FEPS-FS), which is the most widely used scale. Mapping five fidelity scales onto the FEPS-FS showed that the percentage of FEPS-FS components successfully mapped ranged from 42% to 81%. Mapping five scales onto one that uses dichotomous scoring identified the degree of variation in measures and reduced the amount and quality of usable fidelity data. Identifying variations in fidelity measurement is a core function of a learning health system.

Observed Trajectories of Cannabis Use and Concurrent Longitudinal Outcomes in Youth and Young Adults Receiving Coordinated Specialty Care for Early Psychosis

Cannabis use is present and persistent in young adults with early psychosis receiving Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) in the United States. While CSC programs are effective in improving quality of life, helping individuals reach goals, and promoting recovery, cannabis use may limit the extent of these improvements. This study extended upon previous findings to examine trajectories of cannabis use among individuals with early psychosis. The sample consisted of 1325 CSC participants enrolled for more than one year at OnTrackNY and followed up to two years, categorized into three groups: no use, reduced use, and persistent use. Baseline demographic and clinical differences were compared across groups and associations between clinical and psychosocial outcomes at 12 months and 24 months were examined across groups. Of the sample, 40 % remained persistent users over two years while 12.8 % reduced their use. At baseline, persistent users were younger (p = 0.011), more likely to be male (p < 0.001), had lower education levels (p = 0.019), and were more likely to have had past legal issues prior to admission (p < 0.001) than non-users. At 2 years, persistent users had significantly worse symptom scores than non-users (p = 0.0003) and reduced users (p = 0.0004). These findings highlight the presence of persistent cannabis use being common in this population and the need to improve substance use treatment offered to allow more CSC participants to achieve improved outcomes.

Tobacco smoking and nicotine vaping in persons with first episode psychosis

Tobacco smoking is highly prevalent in persons with psychosis and is the leading cause of preventable mortality in this population. Less is known about tobacco smoking in persons with first episode psychosis (FEP) and there have been no estimates about the prevalence of nicotine vaping in FEP. This study reports rates of tobacco smoking and nicotine vaping in young people with FEP enrolled in Coordinated Specialty Care programs in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Using data collected from 2021 to 2023, we examined lifetime and recent smoking and vaping and compared smokers and vapers to nonusers on symptoms, functioning, and substance use. The sample included 445 participants aged 13–35 with recent psychosis onset. Assessments were collected by program staff. Overall, 28 % of participants engaged in either smoking or vaping within 30 days of the admission assessment. Smokers and vapers were disproportionately male, cannabis users, and had lower negative symptom severity than non-smokers. Vapers had higher role and social functioning. Both smoking and vaping were related to a longer time from psychosis onset to program enrollment. We compare these findings to previous studies and suggest steps for addressing smoking and vaping in this vulnerable population.

Reimbursement for a Broader Array of Services in Coordinated Specialty Care for Early Psychosis.

Despite the growing evidence supporting the benefits of coordinated specialty care (CSC) for early psychosis, access to this multimodal, evidence-based program in the United States has been hindered by a lack of funding for core CSC services and activities. The recent approval of team-based reimbursement codes by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has the potential to fund substantially more CSC services for clients with insurance coverage that accepts the new team-based billing codes. This streamlined and more inclusive billing strategy may reduce administrative burden and support the financial viability of CSC programs.

Implementation support for the data-driven components of care in a multisite network of coordinated specialty care programs.

Beyond training providers prior to the roll-out of coordinated specialty care (CSC) for first-episode psychosis in clinical settings, implementation support for data-informed care remains an area that has received very little attention. The current paper describes the development and refinement of implementation support for the data-driven components of care in the New Journeys network, Washington State's CSC model for psychosis, comprised of 14 CSC programs. Using the Evidence-Based System for Innovation Support Logic Model, this paper outlines the individual components for implementation support, tools, training, technical assistance, and quality improvement/evaluation that have been developed for the New Journeys network. We present examples of modifications that have occurred over nine years to address the needs of clients, providers, and state-level network administrators to facilitate the data-driven components of care. We conclude with recommendations based on lessons learned in Washington State aimed at improving implementation of data-driven care in CSC models throughout the USA.

Identifying Individuals With Early Psychosis in Jail: Lessons Learned for Coordinated Specialty Care Services.

This study sought to establish the feasibility of a two-component intervention embedded within a jail setting that would detect detainees with early psychosis and connect them to coordinated specialty care (CSC) in the community upon release. The two components of the intervention were a targeted educational campaign for correction officers and a specialized early engagement support service to facilitate jail discharge planning. Jail detainees with early psychosis were referred to the project and assessed for positive and negative symptoms, substance use, and duration of untreated psychosis (DUP). During a 24-month period, 25 individuals were referred, of whom eight were eligible and interviewed. The sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the jail detainees were similar to those of individuals in hospital settings. The median DUP was 36 weeks. One of the eight detainees with early psychosis was successfully referred to CSC; for the other detainees, social or criminal legal factors precluded referral. A targeted educational campaign for correction officers and a specialized early engagement support service can be implemented in a jail setting, and referrals can be facilitated. Success of the campaign may depend on having dedicated liaisons within the jail setting (e.g., among correctional health staff) as well as liaisons in local CSC programs and leadership. Changes in the law and policy environments (e.g., criminal legal system reform) and changes in organizational practices and processes for corrections, correctional health, and local CSC programs (such as those made during the COVID-19 pandemic) require ongoing collaborations.

Confronting the dialectic between quality and access in early psychosis care in the United States: Finding the synthesis by leveraging psychological expertise.

Coordinated specialty care (CSC) is the dominant model for early psychosis care in the United States, representing a proactive recovery-oriented approach to serious mental illness in its early stages. CSC involves broad multidisciplinary support for participants, including from psychologists in some CSC teams, encompassing educational and vocational support, medication management, psychotherapy, case management, peer support, and family interventions. CSC programs have proliferated in the last 20 years, leading to a quality-access dialectic, where increasing access to treatment simultaneously prompts concerns about care quality, particularly in the context of staffing shortages and funding limits. Evidence-based psychosocial treatment, including psychotherapy, is an integral part of CSC, yet workforce training deficits, workforce turnover, and CSC financing pose threats to intervention fidelity and thus CSC participants' ability to access high-quality care. We propose an enhanced role for psychologists as a way of resolving the quality-access dialectic in the area of psychosocial treatment, specifically evidence-based therapy. We describe the potential of psychologists' skills in clinical supervision, formulation, evidence-based interventions and measurement-based care, drawing on practice examples. After considering possible limitations, we outline implementation models, for example, drawing on Early Psychosis Intervention Network and Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes. We conclude with four recommendations: Psychologists should be placed in CSC team or network-leadership roles; psychological expertise should be made available to CSC teams for training, consultation, and technical assistance; psychological expertise should be used to address CSC implementation challenges; and research is needed to demonstrate psychologists' value to stakeholders. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Perspectives of young adults diagnosed with early psychosis using coordinated specialty care in Texas on substance use and substance use interventions.

Despite known prevalence of substance use (SU) among young people experiencing early psychosis and increasing evidence for the relationship between certain substances (e.g., cannabis) and psychosis, there are no specialized interventions developed for effectively addressing substance use among young people participating in coordinated early psychosis services. This study elicited the perspectives of young people with early psychosis participating in Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) programs about their substance use, including their motivations and concerns around their use, and their ideas on how to best support young people who are interested in reducing or quitting substance use. We recruited young adults (ages 18 to 30) from CSC programs across Texas through flyers sent to program staff inviting young persons willing to talk about substance use to engage in a 60-90 min person-centered, semi-structured, audio-recorded Zoom interview. A total of 22 young adults were recruited and 18 completed an interview. Participants described mixed positive and negative responses to substance use, and while many understood the importance of discontinuing substance use, many expressed ambivalence related to social, contextual, mental and physical factors that motivated them to keep using. Participants desired practical substance use information, opportunities to explore their substance use ambivalence in supportive relationships, positive peer communities to support healthy choices, help engage, with work, school, and hobbies, and strategies for addressing psychological and physical pain that did not include substance use. Study findings illuminate what motivates young people with early psychosis to initiate, continue, or cut back on substance use, and ideas for CSC practices for exploring substances and helping young people to reduce substance use.

Policy Complexities in Financing First Episode Psychosis Services: Implementation Realities from a Home Rule State.

Over the past decade, significant investments have been made in coordinated specialty care (CSC) models for first episode psychosis (FEP), with the goal of promoting recovery and preventing disability. CSC programs have proliferated as a result, but financing challenges imperil their growth and sustainability. In this commentary, the authors discuss (1) entrenched and emergent challenges in behavioral health policy of consequence for CSC financing; (2) implementation realities in the home rule context of Ohio, where significant variability exists across counties; and (3) recommendations to improve both care quality and access for individuals with FEP. The authors aim to provoke careful thought about policy interventions to bridge science-to-service gaps, and in this way, advance behavioral health equity.

Implementation of an Adapted Fidelity Scale for Pennsylvania Coordinated Specialty Care Programs for First Episode Psychosis.

Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) is an evidence-based model for early intervention of first episode psychosis (FEP). Monitoring fidelity to CSC models is essential for proper evaluation of program outcomes and quality improvement. To address variability across CSC programs and fidelity assessment-associated burden, an adapted fidelity scale was developed and implemented statewide in Pennsylvania. This report describes the design and preliminary performance of the adapted scale. The Pennsylvania FEP Fidelity Scale (PA-FEP-FS) assesses adherence to the CSC model by focusing on essential model components of other established fidelity scales, in tandem with program evaluation data. Initial data from fourteen PA-FEP sites from 2018 to 2021 were examined as preliminary validation. Assessment-associated burdens and costs were also estimated. PA-FEP-FS captured essential components of CSC models and proved feasible for implementation across varying program structures, while minimizing burden and cost. Programs utilized annual feedback as CSC benchmarks, evidenced by increased scores over time. PA-FEP-FS provides a model for adapting CSC fidelity scales to meet state- or local-level requirements while reducing assessment burdens and costs that may be associated with existing scales.

Costs of Coordinated Specialty Care for First-Episode Psychosis: A Microcosting Analysis.

In this study, the authors measured and described the costs of coordinated specialty care (CSC) for first-episode psychosis in Ohio. A microcosting tool was used to estimate personnel and nonpersonnel costs of service delivery at seven CSC programs. Average annual cost per participant (N=511 participants) was estimated as $17,810 (95% CI=$9,141-$26,479). On average, 61% (95% CI=53%-69%) of annual program costs were nonbillable. Key cost drivers included facility costs, administrative tasks, and social services. Novel financing models may redress reimbursement gaps incurred by CSC programs.

The Cascade of Care for Early Psychosis Detection in a College Counseling Center.

Programs for early detection of psychosis help identify individuals experiencing emerging psychosis and link them with appropriate services, thereby reducing the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP). The authors used the cascade-of-care framework to identify various care stages between screening and enrollment in coordinated specialty care (CSC) and to determine attrition at each stage, with the goal of identifying points in the referral process that may affect DUP. Project partners included a college counseling center and CSC program. All college students seeking mental health services at a counseling center between 2020 and 2022 (N=1,945) completed the Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief (PQ-B) at intake. Students who met the distress cutoff score were referred for a phone screening. Those who met criteria on the basis of this screening were referred for assessment and possible enrollment into CSC. Six stages in the cascade of care for early detection were identified. Of the students who completed the PQ-B as part of intake (stage 1), 547 (28%) met the PQ-B cutoff score (stage 2). Counselors referred 428 (78%) students who met the PQ-B cutoff score (stage 3), and 212 (50%) of these students completed the phone screening (stage 4). Seventy-two (34%) students completed a CSC eligibility assessment (stage 5), 21 (29%) of whom were enrolled in CSC (stage 6). The cascade-of-care framework helped conceptualize the flow within a program for early psychosis detection in order to identify stages that may contribute to lengthier DUP. Future research is warranted to better understand the factors that contribute to DUP at these stages.

Study protocol for a multi-level cross-sectional study on the equitable reach and implementation of coordinated specialty care for early psychosis

BackgroundApproximately 115,000 young adults will experience their first episode of psychosis (FEP) each year in the USA. Coordinated specialty care (CSC) for early psychosis is an evidence-based early intervention model that has demonstrated effectiveness by improving quality of life and reducing psychiatric symptoms for many individuals. Over the last decade, there has significant increase in the implementation of CSC programs throughout the USA. However, prior research has revealed difficulties among individuals and their family members accessing CSC. Research has also shown that CSC programs often report the limited reach of their program to underserved populations and communities (e.g., ethnoracial minorities, rural and low socioeconomic neighborhoods). Dissemination and implementation research focused on the equitable reach and implementation of CSC is needed to address disparities at the individual level.MethodsThe proposed study will create a novel integrative multi-level geospatial database of CSC programs implemented throughout the USA that will include program-level data (e.g., geocoded location, capacity, setting, role availability), provider-level data (race, ethnicity, professional credentials), and neighborhood-level census data (e.g., residential segregation, ethnic density, area deprivation, rural-urban continua, public transit time). This database will be used to characterize variations in CSC programs by geographical location and examine the overall reach CSC programs to specific communities. The quantitative data will be combined with qualitative data from state administrators, providers, and service users that will inform the development of dissemination tools, such as an interactive dashboard, that can aid decision making.DiscussionFindings from this study will highlight the impact of outer contextual determinants on implementation and reach of mental health services, and will serve to inform the future implementation of CSC programs with a primary focus on equity.

Community- and Program-Level Predictors of Funding Streams Used by Coordinated Specialty Care Programs.

Although coordinated specialty care (CSC) is an effective service model to address first-episode psychosis, CSC is not widely accessible in the United States, and funding for this service model often remains challenging. The authors examined whether community- or program-level factors predict the use of public and private funding streams in a national sample of 34 CSC programs in 22 U.S. states and territories. As part of a larger mixed-methods study, CSC program leaders completed a brief questionnaire regarding funding sources. Statistical modeling was used to examine program- and community-level predictors of the use of funding sources. Most CSC programs (20 of 34, 59%) reported that Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) set-aside funds accounted for more than half of their total funding, and 11 of these programs reported that these funds contributed to >75% of their funding. Programs ≤5 years old were more likely to rely on MHBG set-aside funds. Programs in Medicaid expansion states were more likely to rely on Medicaid funding than programs in nonexpansion states. Programs in higher-income service catchment areas used more state funds than did those in lower-income areas, and among programs in lower-income service catchment areas, those that were >4 years old were more likely than those ≤4 years old to rely on state funds other than Medicaid. CSC programs remain largely dependent on MHBG set-aside funding. Some programs have diversified their funding streams, most notably by including more Medicaid and other state funding. A more comprehensive funding approach is needed to reduce reliance on the MHBG set-aside funds.

Cognitive enhancement interventions are effective for schizophrenia: why not provide them early?

Cognitive enhancement interventions are effective for schizophrenia: why not provide them early?

The unique pathways to coordinate specialty care for Black families navigating early psychosis: A preliminary report.

Aversive pathways to coordinated specialty care (CSC) for first episode psychosis have been linked to the extended duration of untreated psychosis, limited engagement, and treatment outcomes. Yet there has been very limited research that has solely explored the unique pathways to care among Black families in the U.S. This study utilized qualitative methods to explore the pathways to CSC among Black individuals experiencing their first episode of psychosis and their family members. Individuals who were or are enrolled in CSC programs and/or their family members were recruited to participate in semi-structured qualitative interviews. Qualitative interviews were used to characterize events and experiences prior to the initiation of CSC. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a qualitative descriptive approach. A total of 14 participants were recruited to complete semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that during prodromal phase participants noticed changes in social functioning, identified prior childhood experiences that were viewed as traumatic, and sought very little help from formal sources. After the onset of psychosis, the majority of participants highlighted the importance of family members in the initiation of care, yet also expressed difficulties navigating services and engaging with clinical staff, contributing to further delays to the initiation of CSC. Finding from this study sheds light on understanding known disparities in utilization of services and potentially identifies areas that can be leveraged to improve the experiences for Black families seeking CSC.

Tele-mental Health Transitions for Pennsylvania Coordinated Specialty Care Programs for Early Psychosis During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study examined provider and client perspectives of tele-mental health (TMH) in early psychosis care during the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this goal, thirty-three mental health providers and 31 clients from Pennsylvania Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) programs completed web-based surveys assessing TMH usage, experiences, and perceptions between May and September 2020. Three additional TMH-related questions were asked two years later of PA CSC Program Directors between Feb and March 2022. Descriptive statistics characterized responses. Open-ended items were coded and grouped into themes for qualitative synthesis. As early as mid-2020, participants reported extensive use of TMH technologies, including telephone and video visits. Although most providers and clients preferred in-person care to TMH, most clients still found TMH to be comparable to or better than in-person care; 94% of clients indicated interest in future TMH services. Providers also noted more successes than challenges with TMH. Nine themes emerged regarding provider-perceived client characteristics that could benefit from TMH and were grouped into two categories: client-level (access to technology, comfort with technology, transportation, young age, symptom severity, functioning level, motivation for treatment adherence) and interpersonal-level (external support systems and engagement with program prior to the pandemic) characteristics. Two years later, program directors reported continued perceived advantages of TMH in CSCs, although some barriers persisted. Despite the unexpected shift to TMH in early psychosis programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, findings indicated a relatively positive transition to TMH and perceived promise of TMH as a sustained part of routine care.

A Multifaceted Technical Assistance Strategy to Facilitate Measurement Delivery in Coordinated Specialty Care.

In recent years, coordinated specialty care (CSC) providers have worked to harmonize and deliver data collection measures across programs so that they can provide data that enable measurement-informed care. However, the strategies that can effectively support the integration of a core assessment battery in clinical care remain unclear. This column presents an evaluation of a multifaceted technical assistance strategy for the delivery and completion of an assessment battery in nine CSC programs (N=247 clients). The findings suggest that a multifaceted technical assistance strategy can effectively support the integration of a comprehensive assessment battery in the care delivered by providers. Similar technical assistance strategies may assist CSC providers as they move toward providing data-driven care in an effort to improve quality of care.

Promoting the Success and Sustainability of Coordinated Specialty Care Teams in Ohio.

Recent COVID-19-related federal legislation has resulted in time-limited increases in Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) set-aside dollars for coordinated specialty care (CSC) throughout the United States. The state of Ohio has opted to apply these funds to establish a learning health network of Ohio CSC teams, promote efforts to expand access to CSC, and quantify the operating costs and rates of reimbursement from private and public payers for these CSC teams. These efforts may provide other states with a model through which they can apply increased MHBG funds to support the success of their own CSC programs.

State Mental Health Authority Level of Involvement in Coordinated Specialty Care Clinics and Client Outcomes.

State mental health authorities (SMHAs) in all U.S. states and territories administer the Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) set-aside funding for first-episode psychosis. Funds support implementation of coordinated specialty care (CSC) programs. The authors investigated the relationship between the level of SMHA involvement with CSC programs and clinical outcomes of clients in these programs. As part of a mixed-methods study of 34 CSC programs, SMHAs from 21 states and one U.S. territory associated with the 34 CSC programs participated in a 1-hour interview (between November 2018 and May 2019) focused on SMHA involvement in administration of MHBG set-aside funds and the SMHA's ongoing relationship with funded CSC programs. SMHA involvement was rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 indicating the highest involvement. Client outcome data were collected at the 34 study sites over an 18-month period. Multilevel random-effect modeling was used, controlling for response propensity (propensity score), client demographic variables, and program-level covariates (i.e., fidelity score, staff turnover rates, service area urbanicity, and number of clients enrolled). Clients in CSC programs with SMHAs that were the most involved (level 5) had significantly improved symptoms, social functioning, and role functioning, compared with clients in programs with which SMHAs were least involved (level 1). The findings suggest that increased SMHA involvement in CSC programs is relevant for positive client outcomes. Levels of first-episode psychosis funding doubled in 2021 and 2022, and it is important to identify how SMHAs affect the success of CSC programs and the individuals served.