STEP Learning Collaborative: Transforming Care for Early Course Schizophrenia
STEP Learning Collaborative
Building a system of care for recent onset schizophrenia across CT
The STEP Learning Collaborative is a public-academic collaboration between The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), Department of Children and Families (DCF), and Yale’s STEP Program. Its aim is to maximize the capabilities of all individuals experiencing recent-onset schizophrenia spectrum disorders (‘first-episode psychosis). STEP Learning Collaborative partners with agencies across Connecticut to ensure rapid access to evidence-based care.
Activities of this collaborative include an early detection campaign (Mindmap), workforce development, continuous refinement of care, and sustainable design of a statewide network that can deliver safe, timely and effective pathways to and through care. We advance a population health approach to include all residents of the state, engage all stakeholders across communities, and measure & address disparities in access or treatment outcomes.
The vision is that no matter who or where in Connecticut someone experiencing psychosis lives in, they will receive rapid access to high quality care.
Early Detection
We host a statewide Early Detection campaign called Mindmap to shorten the Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP) for young people experiencing psychosis across Connecticut.
Workforce Development
We're committed to workforce development of community mental health providers to increase the capacity of early psychosis treatment across Connecticut.
Family and Community Education
We provide workshops and virtual resources to educate and empower families and community members impacted by early psychosis.
Modeling Best Practice Care
The STEP Program acts as the organizing and expert hub of the collaborative and continuously works to refine and model best practice care at the STEP Clinic.
Informatics
We focus on assessing the burden of illness and analyzing population health outcomes across the network. This use of data drives continuous quality improvement efforts across the learning health system leading to improved patient care.