Early symptoms of schizophrenia and other major psychiatric disorders can mimic behaviors related to drug and alcohol abuse or adolescent turmoil (such as rapid changes in school performance or relationships with friends).
The First Contact Assessment Service was developed by the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University to improve the outcome of such disorders through early detection and intervention.
The program’s primary goal is to identify young people under age 26 who are experiencing symptoms that may indicate they are at risk for the development of major psychiatric disorders.
Assessments generally include evaluation by a psychiatrist plus diagnostic interviews and cognitive testing by our psychology team. These assessments are covered by many health insurance plans. The First Contact Assessment Service does not take over patient care, but can provide full psychiatric and psychological evaluation reports to the patient’s referring physician or psychotherapist.
High Risk Symptoms
These experiences may indicate adolescents or young adults could be at high risk for developing a major psychiatric disorder:
• Social withdrawal.
• Hearing voices.
• Having visions.
• Disorganized speech.
• Odd beliefs.
• Reduced concentration or attention.
• Chronic anxiety or irritability.
• Depressed mood.
• Sleep disturbance.
• General deterioration in functioning.
Best Candidates
The following types of patients are the best candidates for First Contact Assessment services:
• Young people under 26 years of age,
• Patients who are currently being treated for depression or anxiety, without success,
• Patients with a family history of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, who are worried about developing such illnesses.
Complex Developmental Disorder Evaluations
Some children present with a complex mixture of motor development problems, social impairment, and/or nonspecific psychiatric symptoms. Some of these children may be at risk for developing a major mental illness in later life, particularly if there is a family history of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. In some cases, these children may benefit from a First Contact evaluation that includes motor coordination testing in addition to the other testing described above.
Requesting a First Contact Assessment
Patients, parents, physicians, or psychotherapists can call 314-286-1740 and ask about the First Contact Assessment Service. We limit the number of evaluations that are scheduled in order make sure people with greatest need for these services can be evaluated quickly. To help us decide whether an evaluation is appropriate, our screening staff will have you answer some questions over the phone. After this information is reviewed, someone will call back to let you know whether an evaluation can be scheduled. |