About PRIME

The PRIME (Prevention through Risk Identification, Management and Education) Clinic is dedicated to the early identification and treatment of people ages 14 to 30 who are at risk of developing psychosis

PRIME provides assessment, monitoring and support for young people who are thought to be at imminent risk of developing a psychotic illness. We also serve as a referral point to and from other agencies.

PRIME offers a range of treatments to decrease symptoms and strengthen coping strategies. Ultimately, we hope that these interventions will prevent the development of a psychotic illness.

The PRIME Clinic is housed independently in a Victorian House in a central downtown location close to the University of Toronto.

Our goal is to identify and treat early signs of psychosis as soon as possible.

Psychosis happens when a person loses contact with reality and cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is not. Psychosis usually appears in a person's late teens or early twenties. About three out of every 100 people will have a psychotic episode in their lifetimes.

The people we help are young people who become distressed by changes in their thoughts, perceptions, and feelings. These changes may be difficult to describe to others and often become a source of concern for young people and their families.

Mental and emotional problems are often like physical problems; the sooner they are treated, the better. In the past it was common to delay active treatment until clear signs of psychosis appeared. However, the longer an illness is left untreated, the greater the disruption to the person's ability to study, work, make friends and interact comfortably with others.

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