STEP Learning Collaborative: 2025 Statewide Impact & Year-End Review

2025 marked a major year of growth, collaboration, and measurable progress for the STEP Learning Collaborative (STEP LC), Connecticut’s statewide learning health system for early psychosis. As we reflect on the second year of implementation since launching in February 2024, we see both expanding reach and deepening engagement across clinical, educational, community, and systems-level workstreams.

Below, we share key impacts from 2025, alongside broader program activities that shaped the continued development of a coordinated, statewide approach to early psychosis care in Connecticut.

Connection to Care

*These figures are cumulative since STEP LC launch in Feb 2024

At the core of STEP LC’s mission is the development of clear, equitable pathways that help individuals experiencing early psychosis in Connecticut move quickly from initial contact to appropriate care, regardless of where they live or how they enter the system.

• 571 inquiries received statewide through the centralized referral service
• 98 individuals met clinical eligibility criteria
  • *Note: Ineligible referrals are directed to appropriate care
• 74 individuals successfully connected to care across all DMHAS regions

These figures reflect coordinated efforts across DMHAS funded and/or operated Local Mental Health Authorities (LMHAs), DCF partners, and centralized Early Detection & Assessment Coordinators (EDACs) supporting access to care across all regions of Connecticut.

Supporting Rapid Access and Engagement

Beyond connection alone, STEP LC prioritizes timely entry into care and sustained engagement—both of which are key to improved clinical and functional outcomes in early psychosis.

• 61% entered care within 7 days
• 77% entered care within 14 days
• 86% remained engaged in care at 3 months
• Median Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP): 5.8 months

Age Distribution of Individuals Served

• Ages 16–17: 12
• Ages 18–25: 57
• Ages 26–35: 20

Individuals engaged through the STEP LC represent all DMHAS regions of the state and span a wide range of ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, socioeconomic circumstances, and insurance statuses. Together, these patterns reflect STEP LC’s core vision: ensuring access to early psychosis care for all individuals in Connecticut, regardless of background or town of residence.

Informatics & System Learning

STEP LC continued advancing its informatics infrastructure in 2025 by integrating multiple data sources and monitoring access, engagement, and outcomes. This work supports continuous quality improvement across the statewide network and informs ongoing efforts to strengthen care pathways and outcomes.

Workforce Development — Building Clinical Capacity

The STEP LC supports clinicians and providers statewide through structured training and consultation, bolstering knowledge and confidence in identifying and providing care for early psychosis.

• 13 educational trainings were provided to front-line clinicians
• 368 unique providers trained across sectors (detailed participation dashboard available here)
• 15 provider-to-provider consultations supporting the care of individuals experiencing early psychosis across the state

Recordings of past trainings are available on our YouTube channel: @STEPLearningCollaborative

STEP LC continued to strengthen its statewide early detection network by providing targeted outreach and education to both clinical and community stakeholders who are most likely to encounter young people during the early stages of psychosis.

Through coordinated engagement across healthcare systems, schools and colleges, first responders, families, and community organizations, STEP LC works to improve recognition of early warning signs, reduce delays in help-seeking, and support timely referral to appropriate care.

Hospital & Healthcare Outreach

Hospitals and acute care settings remain essential contact points for individuals experiencing early psychosis. In 2025, STEP LC continued targeted engagement with major hospitals and healthcare systems across Connecticut to strengthen referral pathways, improve coordination during acute presentations, and support timely connection to outpatient care for psychosis.

Educational Outreach — Schools and Colleges

Educational settings are critical partners in early detection, particularly given that late adolescence and young adulthood represent the peak period of risk for the onset of psychosis.

• 26 college counseling centers engaged
• 20+ campus events attended
• 1,700+ students reached through college-based outreach
• 3 outreach sessions targeting school-specific providers, reaching 115 districts and 308 school staff

These efforts strengthen schools and colleges as key early detection environments and support direct engagement with young people during the most vulnerable time for emerging psychosis.

First Responder Engagement

STEP LC collaborated with first responders—including police, mobile crisis clinicians, and emergency responders—recognizing their critical role in early identification and crisis response.

• Creation of a role within the STEP LC that focuses on connecting with first responders
• Early psychosis education integrated into monthly Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trainings, in collaboration with CABLE
• Development and distribution of communication and referral cards to first responders across multiple jurisdictions

These initiatives reinforce first responders as essential partners within the statewide early detection network.

Community & Public Outreach

STEP LC’s community engagement efforts aim to increase awareness of early psychosis, reduce stigma, and build shared responsibility for early identification across non-clinical partners.

• 90+ outreach talks delivered to community groups, families, and service providers
• 4 “Let’s Talk About Psychosis” community events, co-hosted by Local Mental Health Authorities in Middletown, New London, Waterbury, and Bridgeport with special thanks to the libraries that supported these events.
• 10+ newsletters, educational blogs, and tip sheets covering topics such as effective communication strategies, navigating crisis in the community, and understanding early warning signs
• Ongoing engagement with communities of faith, prevention and health improvement alliance partners, and family and consumer advocacy organizations
• A public health forum on First Episode Psychosis held in July 2025 at the Connecticut State Capitol

Together, these activities helped expand public understanding of psychosis and further reduce barriers to help-seeking across communities.

Family Engagement & Education

STEP LC prioritizes accessible, family-centered education to support understanding, communication, and navigation of early psychosis care.

• Educational blog posts and resources developed specifically for families
• Ongoing Family Education Series, with recorded sessions available on YouTube
• Expanded accessibility through an “Understanding Early Psychosis” offering available in Spanish

Lived Experience Leadership

Centering lived experience is a core principle of STEP LC’s learning health system approach.

• 24 “Voices of Lived Experience” videos released in partnership with Students with Psychosis and produced by RedRock Branding

These videos highlight personal journeys, recovery perspectives, and system navigation experiences, providing valuable insight for families, providers, educators, and community partners alike.

The STEP Learning Collaborative expanded its digital reach through media appearances, lived experience interviews, trainings, and public education videos. In 2025, the most-viewed STEP LC videos included:

1. CT Live! Collaborating with LMHAs for Early Detection of Psychosis
2. Believe in the Ambition of Those with Psychosis (Cecilia McGough)
3. Treatment Works: Psychosis Early Detection Matters
4. The Effects of Cannabis on Psychosis (Provider Training Series, Dr. Deepak Cyril D’Souza)
5. Interviewing Young People with Lived Experience of Psychosis

STEP LC will continue focusing on improving rapid access to care, strengthening pathways to and through treatment, and enhancing care quality and outcomes for individuals experiencing first-episode psychosis across Connecticut.

While STEP LC has consistently gathered feedback from community members, families, providers, and partners, the coming year will include more structured opportunities for input through formalized Community Advisory meetings. If you’re interested in joining a Community Advisory meeting please email nina.levine@yale.edu.

This work is grounded in collaboration across Connecticut’s clinical and community partners and anchored by the partnership between DMHAS, DCF, and the STEP Program at Yale School of Medicine and Connecticut Mental Health Center (CMHC). Together, STEP LC is building a data-informed, system of care that improves access and outcomes for individuals experiencing early psychosis statewide.