Transitions in care, including clients leaving, transferring and re-entering service can be challenging for Early Psychosis Intervention (EPI) programs to manage.
A fundamental principle of EPI is early access to services, however, transition challenges can affect the flow of clients through service, and the ability of programs to accommodate new clients and their families. The Early Psychosis Intervention Program Standards, published by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in 2011, include little detailed guidance in the areas of client discharge, disengagement, and reengagement. This has led to gaps in service and inconsistent policies and procedures across programs.
The Transitions in Care working group was formed in late 2019 to advance findings from consultation on this topic; specifically, to help minimize gaps and strengthen client transitions in the system.