Slaight Centre Early Intervention Service (SCEIS)

Intended For

Young people:

• Aged 14-29 years
• Experiencing psychosis – ie. psychosis is the primary presenting issue (e.g. in relation to schizophrenia, schizophreniform, schizoaffective, bipolar I, psychosis not otherwise specified, substance-induced psychosis)
• Has not previously received the full complement of early psychosis intervention care
• Note – we do not accept patients:
• With complex PTSD with transient or non-primary psychotic symptoms or antisocial personality disorder
• With severe intellectual disability — a referral to CAMH’s Adult Neurodevelopmental Service or Child and Youth Family Services would be a more appropriate first option
• Looking for ACTT (Assertive Community Treatment Team) level care
• Needing court-ordered, CAS-ordered, NCR and insurance assessments
• Needing legal involvement, unless all relevant documents are provided

Additional Referral Details

We accept:

• Internal CAMH referrals
• External physician referrals
• Referrals from patients (self-referrals) and/or family members, schools, and community agencies 

Referral Forms

New referrals can be submitted through the online referral form. 

Services Offered As:

Outpatient

Program Duration:

Up to 3 years for patients residing in the CAMH local area [(East) Don Valley River to (West) Humber River; (South) Lake Ontario to (North) Eglinton], as clinically indicated. For patients outside the CAMH local area, after the initial assessment and necessary immediate intervention, we try to refer patients to their local early intervention service for ongoing treatment and follow-up.

Waiting Period:

We make an effort to offer a consultation within 2 weeks of receiving a referral.

Location:

Queen Street site - 1025 Queen Street West

Additional Location Details:

4th floor

Hours of Operation:

Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m.

Contact Phone Number:

Access CAMH: 416 535-8501, press 2

More Contact Details:

Slaight Centre Early Intervention Service: 416 535-8501, ext. 34841

Types of Treatment and Services Offered

• Initial consultation and assessment
• Individualized medication treatment
• Patient education
• Management of symptoms
• Support and counselling
• Case management
• Ongoing risk assessments
• Family education and support
• Peer support
• Recovery programming
• General Education Development (GED)

Program Overview

Psychosis can cause acute distress and confusion in a young person, as well as for their family and friends. For many reasons, there can be a long delay before a young person manages to access appropriate treatment. This delay can significantly impact the development of the skills needed for achieving independent living, having adult relationships and developing careers. Early intervention, with a focus on specialized interventions and recovery, improves outcomes and reduces the negative effects of this condition.

SCEIS supports recovery through early assessment and the development of a comprehensive treatment plan that is patient- and family-centred and recovery-focused, aiming to improve daily functioning for patients. We also provide education and support to family members of patients receiving our services.

The program’s goal is to improve outcomes for young people with psychosis through early identification, intervention and treatment tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual, based on emerging best practices in clinical care and research.

For ongoing care after the initial assessment, we may recommend services closer to home to support youth engagement and access to relevant local resources, as there are early intervention services available across the province.

For information about our Clinical High Risk Service, click here.