Paper presentation: Cheng et al. 2012. Canadian Association of Health Services Policy Research (CAHSPR) Conference. May 29-31, 2012. Montreal, QC, Canada.

1. Canadian Psychiatric Association
Foundation
Psychosis 101:
evaluation of a training program
for northern and remote youth
mental health service providers
Chiachen Cheng1,2,3
Andrew Howlett4
Wayne de Ruiter2
Mark Hanson4
1. Canadian Mental Health Association,
Thunder Bay Branch
2. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
3. St. Joseph’s Care Group, Thunder Bay
Carolyn S. Dewa2, 4
p p, y
4. University of Toronto

2. Outline
ƒ WWhhaatt iiss EEPPII??
ƒ Relevance of training in EPI (in NWO)
ƒ TTrraaiinniinngg PPrrooggrraamm && EEvvaalluuaattiioonn
ƒ Results
ƒ Participants
ƒ Knowledge Acquisition
ƒ Enggaggement
ƒ Lessons Learned

3. What is EPI?
ƒ EPI ((earlyy ppsyychosis intervention)) developped in
early 1990’s in Australia, UK
ƒ EPI is person and family centered
ƒ EPI is specialized assessment, medical
treatment, education, family support and
ppssyycchhoossoocciiaall rreehhaabbiilliittaattiioonn
ƒ based on research about what works best to help
people recover from psychosis
ƒ EPI is founded on the principles of hope and
recovery
ƒ OOne EEPPII program iin NNWW iis att FFiirstt PPllace

4. Northwestern Ontario
ƒ size of France
((552255,119933 kkm22))
ƒ 45 % of Ontario’s
landmass
ƒ 2% of Ontario’s
population
ƒ ~250,000 people
ƒƒ 00.66//kkmm22

5. Relevance of training in EPI
ƒ GGooaallss ooff EEPPII iiss ttoo::
ƒ Help youth reclaim lives
ƒ To eliminate need for longg-term mental health
services/psychiatry
ƒ Increase capacity among non-EPI specialists
ƒ KKeep youtthh iin tthheiir communiittiies
ƒ in NWO, need to rely on more than primary care
ƒ DDiifffferentt moddell ffor ttraiiniing otthher tthhan morniing
or lunch time rounds

6. Evaluation Project
ƒ Goal:
ƒ To evaluate the effectiveness of EPI training using video
vs in-person comparison
ƒ To increase the capacity of MHW to identify early
psychhosiis andd access care
ƒ To increase awareness of and access to EPI services
ƒ Intervention:
ƒ Training program specifically for MCYS funded youth
mental health service providers
ƒ Funders:
ƒ Canadian Psychiatric Association Foundation
ƒ Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental
Health

7. Training Program & Evaluation

9. QUANTITATIVE DATA

10. Participants

11. Participant comfort level
with psychosis

12. Knowledge Acquisition

13. Knowledge Acquisition

14. Referrals from Participating Agencies
## RRefferralls
# referrals #accepted
8
2
2010/11 2011/12

15. QUALITATIVE DATA

16. Emerging Themes
11.. GGrroowwiinngg ccoonncceerrnn ffoorr tthhee YYoouutthh ppooppuullaattiioonn iinn
NWO
2. Workshop helped to strengthen professional
relationshipps within aggencies and between
agencies
3. The evaluation piece was novel and enhanced
learning experience

17. Growing Concerns for Youth Population
ƒ “TThheerree aarree cceerrttaaiinn lliittttllee cclliiqquueess oorr ggrroouuppss iinn tthhee
schools, there might only be two or three. If you
don’t fit into that, there’s nothing else to compare
yourself to.”
ƒ “Early focus on the use of drugs and alcohol as
a social activity”

18. Strengthening Relationships
ƒ “AAss aa wwoorrkkeerr,, iitt ggiivveess yyoouu mmoorree ccoonnffiiddeennccee iinn
being able to assist somebody and knowing that
you’re not alone in this.”
ƒ “Now we can call First Place and be involved, so
this has strengthened our connection with them.”
ƒ “And it’s nice for team building too, to get away
and do something different.”

19. Evaluation was Novel and Important
ƒ “AArree wwee aaccttuuaallllyy qquuaalliiffiieedd??” “SSuurree wwee aarree.. II tthhiinnkk
it’s cool to offer our opinion and feedback.”
ƒ “What I found was nice, was [that] we were
invested in our learningg. But with the evaluations
and the follow-up…lets you know that you guys
were invested with our learning as well.”

20. MOVING FORWARD…

21. Lessons Learned
ƒ SSeerrvviiccee pprroovviiddeerrss aarree eeaaggeerr ffoorr aannyy ttrraaiinniinngg
ƒ Videoconference as effective as on-site
ƒ KKnnoowwlleeddggee aaccqquuiissiittiioonn nnoott ssiiggnniiffiiccaannttllyy cchhaannggeedd
ƒ Accuracy of referrals improved
ƒƒ EEvvaalluuaattiioonn mmaayy bbee kkeeyy ffoorr kknnoowwlleeddggee rreetteennttiioonn
ƒ Training is vital to collaboration/partnerships
aaccrroossss mmeennttaall hheeaalltthh sseerrvviiccee pprroovviiddeerrss
ƒ Improved relationships may lead to increased
capacity

22. A k l d t
Canadian Psychiatric Association
Foundation
Acknowledgements
ƒ Participants
ƒ Co-authors
ƒ Andrew Howlett
ƒƒ WWaayynnee ddeeRRuuiitteerr
ƒ Mark Hanson
ƒ Carolyn S. Dewa
ƒ FFundders
ƒ Canadian Psychiatric Association Foundation
ƒ Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental
HHealltthh
ƒ CMHA
ƒ Maurice Fortin (Executive Director)