A new approach to schizophrenia involves managing early psychosis symptoms and keeping young people in school or jobs. The treatment is effective, but private insurance plans usually won’t cover it.
ALINA SELYUKH, HOST:
Across the U.S., there’s been a shift in how some doctors treat schizophrenia. The new approach is to intervene early, when psychosis first appears, and keep young people in school or at work so later they don’t end up on the street. Studies show the treatment is effective, so why won’t insurance companies pay for it? Here’s April Dembosky of member station KQED.
(SOUNDBITE OF CAR HORN)
APRIL DEMBOSKY, BYLINE: It’s 4 p.m. in downtown Redwood City, just south of San Francisco, and Monet Burpee is about to go job hunting – not for herself, for her clients who have schizophrenia.
MONET BURPEE: So I’m about to, like, give you the real experience.
DEMBOSKY: She smooths out her dress, touches up her lip gloss and walks into the movie theater, then after that, an Indian restaurant.
BURPEE: My name is Monet, and I’m a job coach.
DEMBOSKY: Monet starts her work with young people soon after they’ve had their first psychotic symptoms. She’s tasked with keeping an eye on their future. If they want to finish college, she helps them stay in school. If they want to work, she goes scouting for jobs, chatting up restaurant managers to find a good fit.
BURPEE: So what positions are you looking for?
UNIDENTIFIED RESTAURANT MANAGER: One dishwasher.
BURPEE: Dishwasher?
UNIDENTIFIED RESTAURANT MANAGER: Yeah. A general manager here.
BURPEE: Ooh, OK.
UNIDENTIFIED RESTAURANT MANAGER: Yeah.
DEMBOSKY: Monet says helping her clients land a job is about helping them see themselves differently. Instead of living on disability checks, known as SSI, they can be independent, career-oriented people.
BURPEE: It has better long-term positive results versus you just sitting around on SSI.
DEMBOSKY: This is what she said to one of her clients, M,…
Read the full article here