WellSpace: Peer-led groups for first-episode psychosis before and during the COVID era.
Early Interv Psychiatry
; 16(10): 1152-1158, 2022 Oct.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1662258
ABSTRACT
AIM:
Coordinated specialty care (CSC) is a collaborative-team based approach that has been shown to be helpful for patients with first-episode psychosis. Peer support is an important component of CSC. Here, we describe the development and implementation of peer-led group programming (McLean WellSpace) that was loosely affiliated with a CSC (McLean OnTrack). We discuss how we adapted this program to the challenges imposed by COVID-19.METHODS:
WellSpace was developed to have minimal barriers to entry other than a self-reported history of recent onset of psychosis. It is free for participants with minimal restrictions about who may attend. WellSpace and WellSpace groups are largely administered by peer specialists who align with the recovery movement. WellSpace has been a virtual program since March 2020.RESULTS:
McLean WellSpace participants include many people who are not patients of McLean OnTrack, suggesting that such programs may have greater reach than standard medical programs. We transitioned to virtual programming and saw average group attendance and unique participants increase during the pandemic.CONCLUSIONS:
Our experience suggests that peer-led group programming for first-episode psychosis is well-accepted by patients, including many who are not engaged with a CSC. This may be related to our efforts to minimize barriers to entry and our peer-led, non-medical orientation.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Psychotic Disorders
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Early Interv Psychiatry
Journal subject:
Psychiatry
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Eip.13277
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