New provincial website for early psychosis intervention
On October 22, the B.C. EPI Advanced Practice Program (EPI APP) Team proudly launched the earlypsychosis.ca website as part of its commitment to deliver comprehensive, consistent and high quality Early Psychosis Intervention (EPI) services across B.C.
One stop
A collaboration between Fraser Health, Vancouver Coastal Health, Northern Health, Island Health, and Interior Health, earlypsychosis.ca brings together and replaces the psychosissucks.ca (Fraser Health) and hopevancouver.com (Vancouver Coastal Health) websites. The result is a comprehensive website that provides information resources, support and a sense of “community” for individuals and families touched by psychosis, no matter where they live in B.C. Each year in B.C., approximately 950 people between the ages of 13-29 years of age will develop a first episode of psychosis. In creating earlypsychosis.ca, the website project team engaged youth and families with lived experience and clinicians to help name the new website, guide its visual design and to identify key information needs and content organization.
For providers and public
The site provides comprehensive information geared towards youth, families and community partners, such as school counsellors, family physicians, nurses and counsellors who may be concerned about someone they know. Included in the site is a section where information about psychosis, tools for management of symptoms and coping strategies (among other things) can be downloaded. There is also information about and contact information for services offered in each of the health authorities in British Columbia.