Psychosis and Teens: Early Intervention Helps

When James—then a 10th grader in Fairfax County, Va.—came home from high school one winter afternoon, he was disheveled and seemed disturbed. He was talking to himself. His conversation was punctuated by loud outbursts, directed at no one in particular. This was not the same James, a good student that just a week earlier had played in a band concert. He was having a psychotic episode.

Recognizing that he was in distress, his worried parents took him to the hospital and thus started the journey to help James regain his mental health. What they learned is that the sooner teens get help, the better their odds of recovery.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 20 percent of youth between the ages of 13 and 18 have or will have a serious mental illness; 50 percent of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14; and 75 percent begin by age 24. Unfortunately, the average length of time between onset of the illness and getting help is almost a decade, complicating recovery efforts.

Serious mental illness often makes an appearance during the teen years. Recent research shows that if we can help them early—through a coordinated approach—these young people have a much better chance of recovering their lives.

In response to the research, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is helping states use their Community Mental Health Services Block Grant to establish

Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) programs, a team-based, multi-element recovery effort. It includes case management, individual/group psychotherapy, supported employment, supported education, peer support, family education and support, and low-doses of select antipsychotic agents.

As James’ parents sought answers, they were referred to one of these new programs called Turning Point, a coordinated specialty service program to help adolescents and young adults who are experiencing a first psychiatric episode. The program, made possible through a grant from the Virginia Dept. of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services., is run by the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB) in partnership with mental health nonprofit PRS, Inc.

“Turning Point is an innovative effort that is already changing and saving lives,” says Laura Yager, with the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB), a public agency that provides services for people who have mental illness, substance use disorders, and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities. “By offering treatment and support to individuals as their mental illness is unfolding, we have a real chance to try to mitigate some of the challenges and difficulties that individuals with serious mental illness face if their illness goes untreated for a long time.

Turning Point’s goal is to help young people and their families understand and manage symptoms of mental illness, while also building skills and supports that allow them to be successful in work, school, and in life in general.

Like CSC programs nationwide, participants receive services that are individualized and flexible. The program consists of an integrated team that provides skill teaching, case management, supported employment, supported education, peer support, and psychiatric services. The program also focuses on clients’ families so they can better understand mental illness and learn ways to support their loved one and instill a hope for recovery. Data show that working with families helps reduce relapse rates, improve recovery outcomes and increase overall family well-being. Participation in Turning Point may continue for up to two years as needed and is open to people 16 to 25 years old who have had their first experience of psychosis within the past 24 months.

Today, James is doing well, regaining his health and getting ready to go to college. Coordinated services and early intervention were key to helping him recover his life and look to the future.

To learn more about Turning Point, call 703-559-3000 or visit www.turningpointcsc.org.