Community-academic partnership: Establishing the institute for mental health research early psychosis intervention center

Abstract

Growing evidence suggests that specialized, multicomponent intervention provided early in the course of a psychotic disorder may have a positive effect in ameliorating the morbidity and mortality associated with these disorders. This column describes the development of the Institute for Mental Health Research Early Psychosis Intervention Center, which leverages the unique strengths of a community and academic partnership to provide such specialty care in a youth-friendly, stigma-free environment. Since it opened in 2016, the program has had numerous successes, including securing increased reimbursements rates and performance-based incentives for the treatment of first-episode psychosis.