ENGAGE (First Episode Psychosis)

Do you or someone you know experience any of the following:

• Depressed or anxious mood
• New-onset substance abuse
• Overt of subtle changes in how one sees, hears and observes the world
• Social withdrawal
• Changes in dress, appearance and hygiene
• Auditory or visual hallucinations
• Functional decline in school, work or other life spheres

If so, our program may be able to help.

ENGAGE is a First Episode Psychosis team working with youth 15-25 in Allegheny County who have been experiencing psychosis (including hearing things, seeing things, having paranoid thoughts, etc) for about a year or less. Our program works with individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, drug induced psychosis, or those who have not yet been diagnosed. We work to provide personalized treatment and attention to maintain our client’s independence, enhance their quality of life in social and employment settings, and provide support for families.

Our team consists of a psychiatrist, therapist, case manager, vocational specialist and a certified peer specialist working together to meet all needs of our clients. It is the goal of our program to decrease the duration of untreated psychosis for these individuals, as the research shows that with early intervention by a specialized team such as ENGAGE, it is possible to prevent the young person from ever having a second psychotic episode.