Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) is an internationally recognised, evidence-based approach to supporting young people experiencing symptoms of psychosis for the first time. EIP has been delivered in parts of NZ for over 20 years. EIP focuses on early detection and intervention, and aims to improve the social, symptom and personal recovery outcomes for young people who have experienced a first episode of psychosis. Usually EIP teams work with adolescents and young adults (up to the age of 25 or 30) for a period of around 2-3 years following their first presentation with psychosis. You can find more information about the UK standards for EIP here and the Australian guidelines for early psychosis here.

Although there are some broad similarities between the Early Intervention in Psychosis Services in NZ, there are differences in some intake criteria. Please click here for your local team and find out their specific referral criteria. Unfortunately not all areas have a dedicated EI team, and in those instances support is usually provided through general mental health services.

You can also find out information about different EIP services or other mental health services in different parts of NZ at the Health Point website here.

Although EIP services will aim to see a young person referred with probable psychosis as soon as possible, they often do not deliver a crisis service, so if you require urgent help for a young person please see here.

Young people and families/whānau can be directed to our NZEIPS website and/or the Talking Minds website to find out more information about psychosis and Early Intervention services.

We also recommend the Attitude TV documentary called “In My Mind: Psychosis” which was made with some young adults in Auckland who talk about their experiences of psychosis and recovery.

There are some useful resources that have been produced by Australian EI services, which can be useful for referrers themselves and/or to provide to young people or families who are affected by a first episode or suspected first episode of psychosis, in particular the resources by Orygen and Headspace.