Implementation of a program for early intervention in psychosis onset: the experience of the Regione Emilia Romagna, Northern Italy

Early interventions services (EIS) for psychosis are not uniformly available in the Italian public mental health care system. In 2012, Region Emilia Romagna funded the implementation of a comprehensive population based program to deliver EIS. These services provide a package of care including psychiatric consultation, family psychoeducation, case management, recovery oriented activities (e.g. supported employment, social inclusion), and physical health monitoring, consistent with international models but embedded within community mental health services (CMHS). We report feasibility, descriptors of enrolled samples, and clinical variables associated with remission.