Getting timely care for an initial episode of psychosis can help prevent the condition from getting worse. Through Vaya Health’s First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Program, adolescents and young adults can access quality behavioral health treatment and get the help they need to begin recovery.
What is FEP?
FEP refers to the first time a person experiences psychotic symptoms. This typically means that a person’s thoughts, perceptions, emotions, and sense of reality become significantly disrupted.
Psychosis is a symptom of an underlying mental health condition. It typically involves:
- Hallucinations: seeing, hearing or feeling things that aren’t there
- Delusions: strong false beliefs that don’t match reality
- Disorganized thinking or speech: jumbled, illogical, or incoherent communication
- Distorted sense of reality: an altered perception of objects, people, or situations
Who is eligible for Vaya’s FEP program?
To be eligible for Vaya’s FEP Program, individuals must meet all the following criteria:
- Be a Vaya Medicaid member or State-funded services recipient
- Have experienced their first episode of psychosis within the previous three years and have a primary diagnosis of psychotic disorder (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar or depressive type, schizophreniform disorder, brief psychotic disorder, unspecified schizophrenia spectrum disorder, or other specified schizophrenia spectrum disorder)
- Be between ages 15-30
- Be sufficiently behaviorally stable to participate in an outpatient treatment program
- Live in western North Carolina and be able to attend treatment in Buncombe County
How do I make a referral?
Vaya partners with Clarvida to operate the FEP Program. To make a referral, call Clarvida’s AEGIS Clinic at 828-203-2913.
For more information, call Vaya’s Member and Recipient Service Line at 1-800-962-9003.