1. Name of Service

Island Health, Child, Youth & Family Mental Health Services – Early Psychosis Intervention Program

2. Address of Service

Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health - Anscomb building
2400 Arbutus Road,
Victoria, BC
V8N 1V7

phone: 250-519-6794 or 250-519-6720
fax: 250-519-6789

email: please use telephone to contact

3. Hours of Service:

Monday to Friday from 8:30am - 4:30pm

4. Who Can Receive Services?

Age range	13 to 17 years of age
Type of Psychoses or disorders	Psychosis NOS Bipolar disorder with psychotic features Schizoaffective disorder with psychotic features Schizophrenia Substance induced psychosis
Catchment areas served	Vancouver Island – South Island only
Other criteria	Inclusion criteria may include one or more of the following auditory hallucinations visual hallucinations or other perceptual disturbance thought disturbance paranoia or bizarre behavior

5. Do I need A Referral?

Anyone can refer including self-referral

6. Program Description: 

Basic early psychosis services provided include:

	Complete assessment of symptoms and physical functioning
	Medication management
	Case manager
	Family Support and Education
	Client education
	Treatment of problems in living and other mental health issues

In addition to these basic early intervention services more comprehensive services may be offered including:

	Groups
	Public education regarding early identification and intervention
	Cognitive assessments and rehabilitation
	Vocational rehab programs
	Medication side effect monitoring, healthy living programs
	Alumni programs
	O/T assessment and treatment
	Neuropsych assessments

Comprehensiveness and degree of specialization of the service:

	Full EPI Program (Level 1)
	Developing EPI Program (Level 2)
	EPI Informed Care (Level 3)
	General Mental Heath Service only (Level 4)

Criteria to help describe level of service.

Full EPI Program (Level 1) with a full range of services and compliance with almost all Standards and Guidelines). Highly specialized program and staff

Developing EPI Program (i.e. Level 2) with most staff who have received specialized EPI training and the service is not at the level of service given by Full programs but certainly exceeds the breadth and intensity of services by EPI-Informed Level 3 services or generic mental health centres.

EPI-Informed Care (Level 3) is characterized by no formal status and reduced scope of services compared to the Standards and guidelines yet there must be a minimum of specialized training or skill working with early psychosis clients and families. This type of service is frequent in rural areas where there may be a sole clinician who has received specialized EPI training who handles first episode clients and works with physicians in the communities in the catchment area.

General Mental health service (Level 4 -No special EPI service) refers to general mental health service without the specialized training, expertise and services concerning early psychosis.