Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) is a model of mental healthcare focused on specialized early intervention for individuals with early psychosis. CSC offers each individual a comprehensive set of evidence-based support services that are guided by the goals, needs, and preferences of each individual participant. 

Psychosis is not a diagnosis but a term that encompasses a broad range of mental health experiences. These experiences typically include changes in a person’s thoughts, perceptions, or beliefs, which can lead to symptoms such as suspiciousness, social withdrawal, delusions, hallucinations, and more. We are still learning about why psychosis develops. It's thought to be the result of a mix of factors, including genetic and environmental factors. 

Getting support for psychosis as early as possible plays an important role in recovery. Like other health challenges, the sooner symptoms of psychosis are treated, the higher the likelihood of a full recovery. 

Furthermore, the combination of early intervention and Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) has shown to improve overall quality of life, including increasing social engagement and improving enrollment in school or employment.

Recovery from early psychosis is possible and looks different for every person. Recovery often involves:

• Finding purpose and pursuing one’s goals
• Developing skills and strategies to support oneself
• Developing an understanding of one’s personal experiences
• Having improved relationships, including feeling more comfortable around others, having more interest in interacting with others, spending more time with friends and family, and more
• Engaging with one’s community through employment, school, volunteer activities, or hobbies, for example

Check out our resources to hear from participants and their families about their unique experiences with psychosis and recovery. 
 

If you believe you or someone in your life may be experiencing psychosis, contact your local OnTrackNY team as soon as possible. If you are not located in New York state, you can use this resource to find early psychosis programs across the country. 

If you or someone you know needs immediate support, please call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which provides free and confidential support 24/7 for people in the U.S. who are in distress and offers prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones. 

If you or your loved one are currently working with an OnTrackNY team, we recommend reaching out to your team. If you are unable to reach your team for any reason, please call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and let your team know as soon as possible. 
 

OnTrackNY supports teens and young adults across New York state, who:

• Are between 16-30 years old
• Are having experiences of psychosis, such as having unusual thoughts, feeling suspicious of others, noticing changes in the way things look or sound, or feeling challenged by stress, fear, anger or confusion
• Have had these experiences for less than 2 years*

*Exceptions:  OnTrackNY Southern Tier in Binghamton, NY &  OnTrackNY CNY in Syracuse, NY may accept individuals who have experienced symptoms for less than 5 years.

If you believe that you or someone in your life may be experiencing psychosis, or if you’re unsure, contact your local OnTrackNY team. Our teams are available to help you navigate any questions or concerns.

All OnTrackNY teams provide telephonic interpretation for all services offered, which allows participants and their families instant access to an interpreter via telephone. These interpreters are available at all times and offer translations services for more than 200 languages. Reach out to your local OnTrackNY team for more information. 

Medication is not a requirement for enrollment in OnTrackNY. OnTrackNY teams partner with each participant to think together about whether medication is the right approach for them, based on their unique needs, goals, and preferences.

OnTrackNY provides services for a time-limited period, and the amount of time between enrollment into and graduation from OnTrackNY services is unique to each person’s recovery journey. However, on average, participants tend to graduate from OnTrackNY services roughly 2 years after beginning our services. OnTrackNY teams partner with participants and their families to identify services and supports that individuals may want to use following their graduation from OnTrackNY.

We have team members who specialize in education and career services to help participants pursue their goals for school and work. This may include things like creating or revising a resume, exploring job opportunities or school options, interview prep, scheduling classes, applying for financial aid, and skills for studying and time management. 

OnTrackNY teams provide services regardless of insurance status and ability to pay. However, specific insurance and billing policies vary by team. Direct further questions about cost and coverage to your OnTrackNY team.

You can use our map to find the team nearest to you and find contact information. Some teams may accept emails or text messages while others may require a phone call. 

No matter how you reach out, you will be connected to a team member who will ask a few questions about your experiences. If a team member is unavailable, you may be prompted to leave a voicemail. If a team member is unavailable, you may be prompted to leave a voicemail, or you can try reaching out at another time or by another channel listed in the directory. Visit our team directory to learn how you can reach out to your local OnTrackNY team.

If OnTrackNY is a fit for you, your OnTrackNY team will advise on next steps. If not, they will help you find the right care for you.