Early Intervention Service (EIS)

Contact Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Address: Bellarine Clinic 104-108 Bellarine Hwy Newcomb 3219 5226 7481 Colac Clinic 13 Dennis Street Colac 3250 5232 1550 Corio Clinic 2 Gellibrand Street Corio 3214 5273 2255 Geelong West Clinic Cnr Reynolds & Colac Roads Belmont 3216 5260 3700 Surfcoast Clinic 100 Surfcoast Highway Torquay 3228 5261 1128
Telephone: As per above Clinic Telephone numbers
After Hours Telephone: As per above Clinic Telephone numbers

Service Description:

The Early Intervention Service assists young people aged between 16-25 with the following mental health presentations: 


·        Affective psychosis


·        Schizophrenia


·        Schizoaffective disorders


·        Brief reactive psychosis


·        Drug induced psychosis 


Psychosis is the term used to describe a mental state in which an individual experiences a distortion or loss of contact with reality.  This mental state is characterised by the presence of delusions, hallucinations and / or thought disorder.  Negative symptoms such as blunting and loss of motivation can also occur. 


Research indicates that young people between the ages of 16-25 experience 80% of all psychotic disorders.  This is an age when young people are particularly vulnerable to disruption of their developmental pathways. 


Early intervention in psychosis can reduce the severity and duration of the illness, prevent psychosocial decline, help to preserve family and social supports and reduce the need for hospitalisation.


 


Date Updated:11/3/2008