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EPPIC Statewide Services

EPPIC Statewide Services (ESW) provides specific targeted early psychosis training and development support to mental health professionals and emerging early psychosis services in Victoria and around Australia. 

ESW is funded by the Mental Health Branch of the Department of Human Services to assist Victorian public mental health services to optimise their response to young people with emerging psychotic disorders.  

ESW is a team within Orygen Youth Health Training & Communication (OYHT&C). OYHT&C shares knowledge gained through clinical and research expertise to mental health service systems that support young people with mental health issues. It works to strengthen the integration of the youth health service system, including public, community and private health services at local, national and international levels. OYHT&C activities are also designed to influence political agendas and increase community understanding about mental illness in young people.

 

In 2008 the rollout of Youth Early Psychosis Services (YEPS) was completed in regional Victoria. Through its development support program, ESW guided and advised regional mental health services in Victoria to become more responsive to the early psychosis needs of young people.  In 2009 development support commenced for metropolitan area mental health services to respond in a targeted and proactive manner to young people that are experiencing a first episode of psychosis.

 

ESW provides:

  • Education and training to Victorian mental health professionals via an annual EPPIC Statewide Services Calendar 
  • Development support to public mental health services that want to provide a targeted response to young people affected by early psychosis
  • Multimedia resources, including fact sheets, early psychosis manuals, and DVDs. Click here to browse the Online Store.
  • Local professional development workshops can also be developed and delivered, tailored to the unique needs of individual mental health services. 

For further information or to arrange a specific workshop/training please phone: 03 9342 3744 or email: training@oyh.org.au

 

Service Development

When establishing a new early psychosis service or implementing a new focus within an existing service, great care needs to be taken that the service is appropriate and sustainable. After the success of the EPPIC model, a book was published to guide new services, detailing the many aspects of setting up a service and coming up with a 9 step model to service implementation*.   

Key elements in service development include:

  1. Set your philosophy
  2. Set the boundary conditions for early psychosis: such as age and diagnosis
  3. Assess the current service use and population needs
  4. Set the early psychosis scene: through staff training, awareness raising, inter-service communication etc.
  5. Identify an early psychosis workforce: from clinicians to researchers to administration
  6. Define the focus: including clinical work (from detection and assessment to treatment), specialist services (family, group, drug and alcohol), resources needed etc. 
  7. Develop a written plan
  8. Implement key service components
  9. Monitor and review

 

 

*Implementing Early Intervention in Psychosis: A Guide to Establishing Early Psychosis Services. Edwards and McGorry. Dunitz 2002.

 

 

Click here to go to the Calendar page.