"Outcomes of an early psychosis intervention program": Reply

Comments on an article by Anthony J. Pelosi (see record 2005-06255-015). The author is concerned that streamed early psychosis services disrupt the continuity of care of patients. In fact, early psychosis services (EPS) improve engagement and continuity of care in the important early phase after onset. The early psychosis prevention and intervention (EPPIC) service in Melbourne, Australia, guarantees continuity of care for a fixed period of 18 months and achieves much higher retention rates across this phase of illness than in generic services. He then criticizes the use of our paper by the 'early intervention movement' and cites Fitzgerald who previously pointed out problems in our study due to the confounding factor of age. Differences in duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) may well explain some of the differences in age between the samples. He expresses his concern about the 'unashamed political lobbying' for early intervention resources at the expense of 'ordinary' psychiatric services. My colleagues in first-episode services and I have indeed unashamededly advocated on behalf of our patients and their families for better access to high quality phase-specific care. This advocacy has been evidence-based and is well-supported. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).