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302Health issue 2.2017-18
PREVENTION
Dr. Charles Webb, co-principal investigator with the Delaware Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services, stands with Gwen Derr, project director of Delaware CORE and Christine Hanna-Ronald, clinical director with Psychotherapeutic Services Inc.
JOE DEL TUFO/MOONLOOP PHOTOGRAPHY
Exercise reduces the chance of heart disease, and quitting smoking low- ers cancer risk. Few will debate
these facts of the body, but others like- ly question what can be done when the health concerns center around the mind.
“People don’t usually associate preven- tion with mental illness,” says Gwen Derr, project director of Delaware CORE (Com- munity Outreach, Referral and Early In- tervention). “We want them to make that connection.”
The Delaware Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services (DPBHS) and the Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) have
BY MIKE BEDERKA
partnered to form Delaware CORE. The unique program serves Delawareans ages 12 to 25 who have symptoms of early psychosis and their families and friends. If left unchecked, early psychosis can likely lead to full psychosis, a severe mental disorder in which people experi- ence hallucinations, delusions and disor- ganization (confusion when attempting to speak or think).
Through an array of services, Delaware CORE’s providers diligently work to di- agnose early psychosis and help to show prevention and recovery from this serious condition can be achieved.
“In future generations, I hope it won’t
be a surprise that we can intervene with these issues,” says Christine Hanna-Ron- ald, clinical director with Psychothera- peutic Services Inc., a provider of clinical services for the program.
A NEW DEVELOPMENT
Early psychosis generally develops be- tween ages 12 and 25, a time now con- sidered a “golden window” for the best chances of successful treatment, says Dr. Charles Webb, co-principal investigator with DPBHS. Unlike full psychosis, early psychosis generally manifests with sub- tle, vague and hard-to-define symptoms. For example, people may hear an odd
At Its Core
Unique Delaware program works to help young people with early psychosis.