STEP Learning Collaborative – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The STEP Learning Collaborative (STEP-LC) is Connecticut’s learning health care system for recent-onset schizophrenia. It supports individuals, families, and providers across the state by improving access to and quality of early psychosis care through coordinated referrals, community partnerships, training, and system-level collaboration.
Accessing Care Through the STEP Learning Collaborative (STEP LC)
- How can individuals access support through the STEP Learning Collaborative?
Individuals, families, and healthcare providers can access support through the STEP Learning Collaborative by contacting our centralized referral line or submitting an online referral.
- Call the STEP LC Referral Line: 203-200-0140
- Submit an Online Referral Form: https://redcapynh.ynhh.org/surveys/?s=PPCMEYPAD8WXNC8C
- Connect to Care – learn more about eligibility and the process of connecting to care
All referrals are confidential. Calls are returned by an Early Detection and Assessment Coordinator (EDAC), who screens for psychosis and, if eligible, facilitates timely connection to outpatient care. Those who are not eligible for the STEP LC are directed to appropriate care.
- What happens when I call the STEP LC referral line?
When you call the STEP LC referral line, you will speak with an Early Detection and Assessment Coordinator (EDAC) on a secure and confidential line.
The EDAC will:
- Ask for basic information about the individual seeking care
- Screen for symptoms of psychosis
- Discuss available options and next steps
- With consent, coordinate referral to a participating outpatient provider
- Stay in contact during the transition to care to support engagement, as well as periodically to monitor outcomes and treatment engagement
The goal is to reduce delays, simplify access, and support a smooth connection to care.
- Are there eligibility criteria for STEP LC–coordinated referrals?
Yes. To be eligible for STEP LC–coordinated referrals, individuals must meet the following criteria:
- Are 16–35 years old
- Have recently experienced symptoms of psychosis
- Live in Connecticut
If you are unsure whether someone qualifies, we encourage you to call the referral line (203) 200-0140 to discuss the situation. EDACs can help explore appropriate options even when eligibility is unclear.
- Where will I receive care through the STEP Learning Collaborative?
Care is provided through community-based outpatient mental health agencies that participate in the STEP Learning Collaborative network.
Referrals are based on an individual’s town of residence, and most individuals receive care through providers located in their local community. View a list of our Network of Providers.
One participating provider is the STEP Clinic, an outpatient early psychosis clinic located at the Connecticut Mental Health Center (CMHC) in New Haven. Eligible individuals living in the following towns may be offered care at the STEP Clinic:
- New Haven, East Haven, North Haven, Branford, Hamden, Bethany, Woodbridge
An Early Detection and Assessment Coordinator (EDAC) will help determine the most appropriate care location.
- Why should individuals and families consider participating in the STEP Learning Collaborative?
The STEP Learning Collaborative helps individuals and families access early psychosis care more quickly and with fewer barriers.
Benefits include:
- Faster connection to outpatient care through a centralized referral process (our goal is to connect individuals to care within 7 days)
- Prioritized referral pathways across the statewide network, regardless of insurance status
- Support from an EDAC during the transition into treatment and ongoing monitoring of outcomes
- Education and resources for families and support people
STEP LC is designed to reduce delays, simplify navigation of the mental health system, and support individuals and families during what can be a confusing and stressful time.
- Should I call the STEP LC referral line in an emergency?
No. The STEP LC referral line is not a crisis line and does not provide emergency or clinical services.
If you or someone else is experiencing an emergency or immediate safety concern, please contact:
- 911 for life-threatening emergencies
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text)
- 211 Connecticut Mental Health Crisis Services
- A local emergency department or Urgent Crisis Center for Children
What Is the STEP Learning Collaborative?
- What is the STEP Learning Collaborative?
The STEP Learning Collaborative (STEP LC) is Connecticut’s statewide learning healthcare system for recent onset schizophrenia. The STEP LC is a public–academic partnership between Yale’s STEP Program, the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), and the Department of Children and Families (DCF).
STEP LC coordinates a statewide network to improve access to outpatient care for individuals experiencing early psychosis. The collaborative supports early detection, streamlined referral pathways, workforce development, and continuous quality improvement across Connecticut.
View this illustrative video to follow along with the patient journey as part of the STEP Learning Collaborative's Learning Health System.
- How are the STEP Program, STEP Learning Collaborative, and STEP Clinic different?
The STEP Program, STEP Learning Collaborative, and STEP Clinic are closely related but serve different roles.
- The STEP Program is the broadest umbrella. It is a Yale-based clinical, research, training, and implementation program focused on improving care for individuals experiencing early psychosis.
- The STEP Learning Collaborative (STEP LC) is the STEP Program’s statewide learning healthcare system (LHS) that works with community partners across Connecticut to strengthen early psychosis care through coordinated referral pathways, early detection, workforce development, data-driven quality improvement, and systems-level collaboration. STEP LC does not provide ongoing clinical treatment.
- The STEP Clinic is an outpatient clinical program within the STEP Program, located at the Connecticut Mental Health Center (CMHC) in New Haven, which provides direct clinical care to eligible individuals living in specific catchment areas.
Together, these components allow STEP to provide direct clinical care while also supporting a coordinated statewide system for early psychosis care.
- How is the STEP Learning Collaborative supporting early psychosis care across Connecticut?
STEP LC supports early psychosis care in Connecticut by strengthening workforce capacity, improving referral pathways, and supporting quality improvement across a statewide network of providers.
This includes training and education, family educational workshops, expert consultation, Early Detection initiatives, and data-informed learning to improve access, engagement, and outcomes for individuals experiencing early psychosis.
The STEP LC hub team meets regularly with participating outpatient agencies to review active cases, identify barriers to engagement, and support ongoing quality improvement across the network.
- What are the core workstreams of the STEP Learning Collaborative?
The STEP Learning Collaborative is organized around several core workstreams that together support a statewide learning health system for early psychosis:
- Early Detection – Shortening the Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP) by improving recognition of early psychosis and pathways into care
- Workforce Development – Training, education, and consultation for providers and community partners
- Informatics and Learning Health System – Monitoring access, engagement, and outcomes to guide quality improvement
- Sustainability and Systems Development – Building infrastructure to support long-term access and scalability
- Stakeholder Engagement – Engaging individuals with lived experience, families, clinicians, community partners, and state agencies
Early Detection and Pathways to Care
- What is Early Detection?
Early Detection refers to efforts to identify psychosis as early as possible and reduce the Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP)—the time between the onset of psychosis symptoms and connection to appropriate care. Research consistently shows that shorter delays to care are associated with better clinical and functional outcomes.
The STEP Learning Collaborative’s statewide Early Detection efforts are grounded in results from the STEP Mindmap trial, a community-based Early Detection study conducted in the Greater New Haven area of Connecticut from 2014–2019. The study was the first US trial to demonstrate that proactive outreach and streamlined access pathways can meaningfully reduce DUP.
Building on this evidence, STEP LC supports Early Detection across Connecticut using a three-pronged approach:
- Public awareness and mass media
STEP LC uses broad public messaging (such as transit ads, billboards, and media outreach) to help people recognize when concerns about psychosis may be emerging and to promote a clear next step: contacting the centralized referral line. - Targeted outreach and education
STEP LC works directly with groups most likely to encounter early psychosis, such as schools, colleges, first responders, hospitals, primary care, and community organizations, to increase understanding of early signs of psychosis and what to do when concerns arise. - Rapid access to care through coordinated referral pathways
Early Detection is only effective when recognition leads quickly to care. STEP LC supports rapid connection to outpatient treatment through a centralized referral line and close partnership with Local Mental Health Authorities (LMHAs) across the state.
- Public awareness and mass media
- What is an Early Detection and Assessment Coordinator (EDAC)?
An Early Detection and Assessment Coordinator (EDAC) is a STEP-LC team member who staffs the centralized referral line, screens for early psychosis, conducts standardized assessments, and helps connect individuals to appropriate outpatient care.
EDACs work closely with community providers to support timely referrals, share assessment summaries, and provide follow-up to support engagement and continuity of care.
- What is a Local Mental Health Authority (LMHA)?
Local Mental Health Authorities (LMHAs) are the 13 community-based mental health agencies funded and/or operated by the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS).
LMHAs provide a wide range of mental health services and form the primary outpatient treatment network for the STEP Learning Collaborative across Connecticut.
- How does the STEP Learning Collaborative engage communities and partners?
STEP LC conducts detailed outreach and education by building knowledge and strengthening connections across systems that serve young people and families.
The STEP LC engages with a wide range of stakeholder groups, including:
- Schools, colleges, and educational settings
- First responders and crisis response systems
- Hospitals, emergency departments, and healthcare systems
- Community organizations and service agencies
- Family and peer advocates
We offer various educational materials, video clips, and downloadable tools to support outreach and training efforts statewide.
For Providers, Referral Sources, and Systems
- How can healthcare providers and referral sources benefit from engaging with the STEP Learning Collaborative?
STEP LC offers a streamlined, statewide pathway to outpatient early psychosis care that supports both providers and the individuals they serve.
Benefits include:
- A centralized referral point for early psychosis care across Connecticut
- Improved access to outpatient care across regions for all insurance types
- Support from EDACs to facilitate screening, referral coordination, and engagement
- Opportunities for training, education, and expert consultation (free CMEs)
- Participation in a learning health system focused on improving access, quality, and outcomes for individuals experiencing recent onset schizophrenia
- How can the STEP Learning Collaborative support inpatient units and emergency departments?
The STEP Learning Collaborative supports inpatient units and emergency departments by connecting individuals to outpatient early psychosis care within the statewide network through specially trained Early Detection and Assessment Coordinators (EDACs).
With the consent of the individual, EDACs can:
- Coordinate rapid referrals to our network of providers (goal is within 7 days)
- Share assessment summaries with receiving providers
- Support engagement during transitions from inpatient or emergency settings
- Conduct periodic follow-up with outpatient providers to monitor engagement and support continuity of care
Inpatient teams and emergency departments retain responsibility for clinical decision-making and disposition planning.
- How does the STEP Learning Collaborative support healthcare providers?
STEP LC supports healthcare providers through education, consultation, and systems-level collaboration.
Offerings include:
- Educational series, workshops, and webinars on early psychosis care, including free Yale CMEs
- Expert consultation for individual clinicians and care teams
- Resources to support early identification, engagement, and referral
- Family education workshops and educational materials
- Opportunities to participate in statewide learning and quality improvement efforts