Impact of an Early Identification Program for First-Episode Psychosis on the Duration of Untreated Psychosis

This study is looking for young people aged 15 to 35 who have recently started experiencing symptoms of psychosis for the first time. You might be eligible if a doctor has diagnosed you with conditions like schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, or brief psychotic disorder, based on specific medical guidelines.

To be included, you shouldn't have received strong antipsychotic medication before for these symptoms, except possibly very recently for the current episode, and for no longer than six months. For all participants, if you're an adult, you'll need to give your permission to be part of the study. If you're under 18, your parents or guardians will need to give their permission.

However, you won't be able to join the study if you're already receiving ongoing treatment for a first episode of psychosis, or if your symptoms are very mild and don't require specific ongoing medical help.

This study is focused on how quickly people get help, rather than a specific treatment. If you participate, you won't be given new medication as part of the study itself. Instead, the study will observe how the PRESTO program helps connect people to existing specialist care. This means there might be observations or assessments related to how quickly you access and engage with services, and possibly some questionnaires to understand your experience. The exact number of visits and the total duration would depend on the program's structure and your individual care plan, but the main intervention is about improving access to care, not a fixed treatment period.