Park Center participates in cutting edge intervention

Northeast Indiana community mental health provider Park Center, Inc. has been selected to participate in a cutting edge intervention for people experiencing early stages of psychosis. The Early Break Psychosis Project is the development of a two-year study that looked at specialty care in the early treatment of severe mental disorders.

The Early Break Psychosis Project integrates the newest technology in telemedicine with treatment approaches confirmed by the national RAISE (Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode) Connection study and specialized research expertise anchored at IU Medical School and long-established central Indiana health care system, Eskenazi Health. Park Center is one of two Indiana mental health centers selected to partner with the project. The project uses research, resources, and technology to intervene in disorders that can have devastating effects for individuals and their families.

The Early Break Psychosis Project uses a multidisciplinary approach and the newest technology in telemedicine to address psychosis from specific mental illnesses.

Data collected over the last two decades supports the significance of early intervention following the first episode of psychosis. Research shows the most harmful effects of serious mental illness on cognitive and social function occur during the first five years after the emergence of symptoms, most frequently between the ages of 15 and 25.

The Early Break Psychosis Project is built on the research findings of the RAISE Connection. The study is one of several research initiatives funded by the federal government in 2014 to support the development of early treatment across the United States, of which Park Center contributed. It uses a multidisciplinary team approach to address disability from psychosis and to increase engagement and treatment participation.

As a partner in the project and a contributor to the study, Park Center recognizes the importance of research to staying current with healthcare and innovation. “It furthers our interest in better coordination of services as part of a team approach, our goal to stay current with changes in health care, and our intent to be innovative and active in new ways of improving people’s lives,” Park Center Vice President of Adult Community Services Richard Hite said.

The project is an ongoing research study into treatment effectiveness, and is open to individuals who meet the study’s criteria. Contact project liaison Michelle Johnson at (260) 481-2700 ext. 2393 with referrals.

Criteria include:

• Aged 16 to 30 years
• Primary psychotic disorder (Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective, Schizophreniform other specified schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis)
• Recent onset of psychotic illness within the last 2-3 years
• No mood disorder diagnosis (bipolar)
• No evidence of significant drug use (as primary diagnosis)
• No severe medical health issues
• A willingness to be engaged (Clients with higher levels of engagement see better results.).