The Outreach and Education (O&E) team aims to expand the reach of awareness and knowledge about how to identify and treat mental illness with psychosis in adolescents and young adults. The O&E team provides education and training while also disseminating informational resources about the MEIP.
Why education is important
The onset of serious mental illness, such as psychosis, often occurs between the ages of 12 and 25. Vulnerability to these illnesses may be inherited or acquired early in development, but most often emerge during adolescence or young adulthood. Educators, along with health, mental health, and substance use staff who work with young people on a regular basis may be best able to notice changes that others might not. Expediting effective treatment could improve the lives of individuals experiencing early psychosis by reducing the duration of their untreated symptoms. A shorter duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) is associated with improved functional outcomes and quality of life for individuals experiencing early psychosis.
What we do
Our team provides outreach and education to child-serving leadership, staff, youth and family advocates, and graduate trainees across the state of Maryland to improve the early identification and treatment of mental illness with psychosis in adolescents and young adults. Our interactive presentations and resource sharing events offer information to improve awareness and understanding of the early warning signs of mental illness with psychosis and are focused on minimizing stigma and reducing misinformation about mental illness.
We include information on when and how to make a referral to the Coordinated Specialty Care clinics and consultation and treatment services available within the MEIP network and with other providers across the state. Education provided helps child-serving staff to better understand the earliest signs of mental illness with psychosis and to know when and how to connect clients with appropriate evidence-based treatment programming. The symptom profile for early psychosis is complex, and early symptoms of psychosis can be easily misinterpreted as other illnesses such as mood disorders, substance use disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. In addition to general education talks, we offer more intensive specialized training for behavioral health and health providers in evidence-based assessment and treatment of individuals at risk for or experiencing early psychosis.
Who we serve
The O&E team coordinates presentations and more intensive trainings and shares resources with any organization, agency, school, or university that is seeking to learn more about the early identification and treatment of mental illness with psychosis. Examples of groups that the O&E team has presented to include:
- School personnel (K-12 and higher education health education and mental health/health staff);
- Mental health, health, and substance use providers;
- Primary care physicians, nurses, and physician assistants;
- Peer support specialists;
- Youth care coordinators;
- Family support partners;
- Youth and family advocates; and
- Child-serving agency/organization staff.
To request a presentation by the O&E team, please email MarylandEIP@som.umaryland.edu and indicate your organization, the type of presentation you are seeking (including specific topics you would like to be addressed), the expected audience, and your preferred timeline for scheduling the event.
If you are interested in learning more about the EIP model in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of clinical high risk and first-episode psychosis in a virtual, self-paced format, we have created 25 free training modules:
The MEIP also offers a variety of direct services, including clinical and consultation services. To explore what services will be most useful for you and/or your organization, please call our centralized line:
