Does an integrated outreach intervention targeting multiple stages of early psychosis improve the identification of individuals at clinical high risk?

AIMS: To explore the impact of a targeted case identification intervention, with training and education regarding first-episode psychosis and clinical high-risk syndromes, on the referral and identification of those at high risk. METHODS: Using a historical control design, referral information from pre-intervention and post-intervention periods was collected via administrative data and clinician notes from a catchment-based early psychosis service. RESULTS: A significant increase in the number of referrals sent to the service's clinical high-risk unit was observed following the intervention (P = 0.01). The proportion of referrals eligible was significantly higher post-intervention (P = 0.03), with the majority (26/44, 59.1%) referred via the first-episode psychosis service unit. CONCLUSIONS: An integrated outreach intervention for both first-episode psychosis and the clinical high-risk state was effective in increasing referrals of eligible cases to the service's at-risk unit. Rather than being stage-specific, targeted case identification strategies and service integration should span across the early stages of psychosis.