Services We Provide

Psychosis Program

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Seattle Children’s Psychosis Program provides treatment for up to 2 years for young people ages 13 through 21 with or at risk for psychosis. Our team offers comprehensive, care that respects your cultural background, trauma history and recovery journey. We serve young people and families in person in Seattle or by telehealth (video) across the state of Washington.

What is psychosis?

Psychosis is a serious mental health condition that affects how a person thinks, communicates, behaves and perceives the world around them. People with psychosis may hold strong beliefs that other people don’t hold (sometimes called delusions) and see, hear, taste, smell or feel things that other people don’t notice (sometimes called hallucinations). They may also notice changes in speaking, moving, motivation, showing emotions or wanting to be social.

How will the Psychosis Program meet my needs?

Treatment custom-made for you

Our program supports young people and their families in creating the lives they want by providing personalized care. We will work closely with you and your family to make sure your treatment reflects your needs, values and hopes.

Team-based care for the whole person

The Psychosis Program brings together team members with different training and skills to support you and your family in multiple ways at the same time. This model is called coordinated specialty care. It’s the gold standard for treating early or first-episode psychosis.

Recovery-oriented approach

Recovery is a process of change where you seek to improve your overall health and wellness and live the life you want. Recovery-oriented care supports you in building a meaningful life by focusing on 4 key areas: health, home, community and purpose. Our team follows the 10 guiding principles of recovery for people with mental health concerns. We believe recovery is real and something you can achieve.

Services to support your success

As part of the Psychosis Program, you may:

Have an evaluation for a psychosis diagnosis
Partner with your care team and other people important to you, like family members or close friends, to make a treatment plan that supports all areas of your life
Learn about the ways psychosis and other mental health symptoms may affect your goals and daily life
Build skills to manage your psychosis symptoms and pursue your goals and values
Work on communication with your family
Connect with other young people and families going through similar experiences
Take part in evidence-based services designed to support young people with psychosis

We can also provide support to your family and teach them skills on how to best support you.

What kind of issues are treated by the Psychosis Program?

We support teens and young adults who have a , such as or , or are at risk of developing one.

Psychosis can include a range of experiences, such as:

Hearing voices or seeing things that other people don’t hear or see.
Holding strong beliefs that other people don’t hold. Examples include worrying that someone is following you, watching you or trying to harm you, or worrying that there’s an unknown presence around you.
Having trouble knowing what is real and what is not.
Having trouble with memory, concentration or speaking.
Finding it harder to connect with others or do things you used to enjoy.
Losing motivation.
Not feeling your typical emotions.
Moving in different ways than you used to.

Learn more about psychosis (PDF) (Simplified Chinese) (Somali) (Spanish).

People with psychosis often have other mental health conditions at the same time. Examples include substance use disorders, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety or depression. The team in the Psychosis Program sees patients who have psychosis along with other conditions.

Specialized Treatments and Services

The Psychosis Program provides 1 to 2 years of clinic-based (outpatient) treatment. During this time, most patients have 1 to 3 appointments per week with different team members. We will design your schedule based on your needs and goals.

We also offer assessments for psychosis for those who believe they may have this condition.

Services we offer

Your services may include:

Diagnostic evaluation for psychosis.
Individual therapy, including (CBTp).
Family intervention to strengthen support at home. This includes supporting you and your family to understand psychosis and reduce stress.
Group therapy sessions for you and your family along with other young people and their families.
Peer support services where others with similar mental health experiences share their stories and help you use the mental health system.
Support for employment and education.
Recovery support. This service depends on your needs. It can include support like coordinating with your school, finding community groups and making sure you have stable housing, transportation and food.
Medicine evaluation or management.

Near the end of your time as a patient with us, we will connect you and your family to resources in the community for ongoing mental health care and support.

Treatment locations

In-person appointments are at Seattle Children’s Magnuson Clinic. We encourage all families to connect with our team and get services in person, if possible.
Telehealth (video) visits are also an option for patients and families in Washington state who aren’t able to come in person.

New Journeys

Seattle Children’s Psychosis Program includes New Journeys, a program from the Washington State Health Care Authority. You may be able to take part in New Journeys at Seattle Children's if you:

Are age 13 through 21
Have had psychosis for least 1 week and not more than 2 years
Have certain types of insurance
Have an IQ above 70

If you are 13 through 21 and have psychosis but do not meet the other criteria, you may still be able to get services in the Psychosis Program.

People in the New Journeys program may receive all services listed in the “Services We Offer” section. (For people in the Psychosis Program, it may depend on your insurance.)

Seattle Children’s is one of multiple New Journeys programs across the state. However, the other New Journeys programs serve people ages 15 to 40. You can refer yourself or your family member to New Journeys programs online. You are not eligible for Seattle Children’s Psychosis Program if you are already a member of a New Journeys program.

Meet Your Psychosis Program Team

The team brings together experts in psychosis from the fields of psychology, psychiatry and peer support. It is led by a licensed clinical with special training in psychosis. The team also includes a , postdoctoral clinical , , , a supported employment and education specialist, a case manager and a peer support specialist.

Leadership

Samantha Jill Reznik, PhD

Teams

Jump to Role:

Psychiatrist

Christina Lauren Warner, MD

Fellows

John Fitzgerald, PhD
Kelsey Straub, PhD

Paying for Care

The Psychosis Program is covered by Washington Apple Health/Medicaid and Medicaid Managed Care Organization plans. Most private insurance plans cover most of the services in the program, but your insurance may require preauthorization (they have to review and approve the care plan before they agree to pay for services). Call your insurance to check your benefits.

Read about insurance and mental health coverage at Seattle Children’s.

Learn more about paying for care at Seattle Children’s, such as billing and financial assistance.

Scheduling an Appointment With the Psychosis Program

To get care from the Psychosis Program, the first step is 90-minute evaluation and intake appointment. To schedule the appointment, you need a referral from a provider. This can be your primary care provider, mental health provider, school health provider or another provider in the community or at Seattle Children’s.

When we get your referral: We will review the referral to see if you might qualify for the program.

If you might qualify, we will contact you within 2 weeks to schedule you for the next available evaluation and intake appointment.
If you do not qualify for an evaluation, we will let your referring provider know.

During the evaluation: We will assess if you have psychosis and if our program matches your needs.

After the evaluation: We will refer you to our program or another provider based on your needs and preferences. (Having an evaluation does not always mean our program will be right for you.)

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