Submitted by: Craig Limb, LCSW (PREP Team Therapist Supervisor)
Wasatch Mental Health hosts one of three First Episode Psychosis (FEP) teams in Utah. Weber Human Services and Davis Behavioral Health also have treatment teams to support individuals between the ages of 15 and 26 who are experiencing their first episode of psychosis. We have unified together in training and support of one another by calling ourselves PREP Teams, which stands for Prevention and Recovery from Early Psychosis.
In our training, we have been educated on the importance of early intervention and addressing symptoms to prevent future deterioration of cognitive and social functioning. We are all working to provide community education and reaching out to community resources to minimize the duration of untreated psychosis. This editorial article presents an interesting viewpoint that encourages the comparison of FEP treatment to that of a cardiologist.
Article: "For first-episode Psychosis, psychiatrists should behave like cardiologists"
** The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by WMH, the PREP Teams, or its treatment providers. It does provide a compelling viewpoint for the need for early intervention.
If you, or someone you know, are interested in learning more about treatment for someone experiencing their first episode of psychosis, please contact us!