First Episode Psychosis (FEP)

FIRST.IL Flyer (pdf)

What is FIRST.IL?

FIRST.IL is a specialized treatment approach that helps individuals who are between the ages of 14 to 40 and who have had a treated or untreated psychotic illness for no more than 18 months. Eligible diagnoses are schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder or other specified/unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder with psychotic features, major depressive disorder with psychotic features and PTSD with dissociative symptoms.

FIRST.IL Program Treatment Goals

• To reduce the symptoms of psychotic illnesses
• To improve individual and family functioning
• To reduce the chance of relapse
• To promote recovery and improve the long-term course of the illness
• To decrease the overall costs of treatment

FIRST.IL treatment is a manualized team-based approach:

• Psychiatric Care

  • Focuses on providing medications and interventions
  • Emphasis on shared decision-making

• Individual Resiliency Training

  • Helps clients gain insight into their illness and develop tools for coping
  • Focuses on strengthening problem-solving abilities

• Supported Employment/ Education

  • Focuses on rapid return to or initiation of employment or education
  • Takes place at community sites
  • Is driven by clients' needs and preferences

• Family Psychoeducation

  • Provides education about psychotic illnesses and assists families with problem-solving and communications

• Recovery Support

  • Assistance in gaining greater independence
  • Linking to community resources
  • Help navigating systems
  • Help accessing and acquiring services
  • Assistance with educational goals

• Case Management
  • Assists with coordination of medical and mental health care
  • Educates clients on community resources and assists with integration into the community
  • Provides feedback to the psychiatrist regarding clients' medication adherence, side effects or symptoms
  • Provides crisis management as needed
• Substance Use Specialist
  • Education on substance use and its impact on mental health functioning
  • Helping clients gain insight into substance use and how substances trigger psychotic symptoms

** The duration for FIRST.IL is typically three to five years, depending on client's needs and preferences.

FIRST.IL Treatment is Appropriate for individuals:

• between 14-40 years of age
• diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder or other specified/unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder with psychotic features, major depressive disorder with psychotic features and PTSD with dissociative symptoms.
• experiencing no more than 18 months of psychotic symptoms, whether treated or untreated;
• And willing to consent to participate in at least two of the five treatment modalities

FIRST.IL is not appropriate for individuals:

• with psychotic symptoms that are known to be caused by the temporary effects of substance abuse or another medical condition
• with an intellectual disability that impairs their ability to understand all of the treatment components

** If the treatment team does not feel that FIRST.IL is the most appropriate treatment resource for an individual, he or she will be referred to other community resources

FIRST.IL Enrollment Process

• Assessment: All calls to the dedicated FIRST telephone number are returned within 24 hours
• Team Leader completes a phone screening and, if appropriate, an intake assessment
• If FIRST.IL treatment is appropriate, appointment with team psychiatrist is expedited
• Team psychiatrist makes final decision

** All clients who do not meet criteria are referred to the most appropriate resource.