Symptomatic and Functional Outcomes Among Individuals at High Risk for Psychosis Participating in Step-Based Care.

Validated, multicomponent treatments designed to address symptoms and functioning of individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis are currently lacking. The authors report findings of a study with such individuals participating in step-based care-a program designed to provide low-intensity, non-psychosis-specific interventions and advancement to higher-intensity, psychosis-specific interventions only if an individual is not meeting criteria for a clinical response. Among individuals with symptomatic or functional concerns at enrollment, 67% met criteria for a symptomatic response (median time to response=11.

Vitamin D levels among adult psychiatric inpatients and the association with psychosis.

Background: The association between low vitamin D levels and mental illness has been described in earlier research. The aim of our study was to examine the association between vitamin D levels with psychotic symptoms among hospitalized patients.

Methods: A total of 1,456 patient records from an academic psychiatric hospital were examined.

Promoting the Success and Sustainability of Coordinated Specialty Care Teams in Ohio.

Recent COVID-19-related federal legislation has resulted in time-limited increases in Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) set-aside dollars for coordinated specialty care (CSC) throughout the United States. The state of Ohio has opted to apply these funds to establish a learning health network of Ohio CSC teams, promote efforts to expand access to CSC, and quantify the operating costs and rates of reimbursement from private and public payers for these CSC teams. These efforts may provide other states with a model through which they can apply increased MHBG funds to support the success of their own CSC programs.

Transient Clozapine-induced Myocarditis Without Discontinuation of Medication: A Series of 2 Patients.

Background: Clozapine, an antipsychotic medication used to treat treatment-refractory schizophrenia, has been associated with various dangerous side effects, including myocarditis. However, there have been few published cases reporting on patients with clozapine-induced myocarditis confirmed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging or the management, treatment, and follow-up of these patients.

Methods: This report describes 2 cases of patients with treatment-refractory schizophrenia evidencing transient clozapine-induced myocarditis.

The Ohio State University Early Psychosis Intervention Center (EPICENTER) step-based care programme for individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis: study protocol for an observational study.

Introduction: In October 2018, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration funded 21 sites throughout the USA to develop, implement and evaluate specialised care programmes for individuals at clinical high risk for developing a psychotic disorder (CHR-P). Per the funding requirements, such programmes were required to provide 'step-based care'-a model in which individuals are initially provided with low-intensity, non-psychosis-specific and more benign (ie, least side effects) interventions and only progress onto higher-intensity, psychosis-specific interventions with a greater risk of more severe side effects should they not meet a priori criteria for clinical response to such lower-intensity interventions. Here, we outline the evaluation component of the step-based care programme for individuals at CHR-P at The Ohio State University Early Psychosis Intervention Center (EPICENTER).

Trends in and Predictors of Long-Term Antipsychotic Polypharmacy Use Among Ohio Medicaid Patients with Schizophrenia, 2008-2014.

Objective: The study examined trends and patterns in long-term antipsychotic polypharmacy among Ohio Medicaid patients with schizophrenia and predictors of use.

Methods: A study using a retrospective cohort design and Medicaid claims data was conducted for a cohort of 25,062 adults with a schizophrenic disorder receiving antipsychotic medication between 2008 and 2014. Long-term antipsychotic polypharmacy was defined as simultaneous treatment with two or more antipsychotic medications for ≥90 days.