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Interventions for Changes in Emotions, Perception, & Thinking (INTERCEPT)

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What is INTERCEPT?

Interventions for Changes in Emotions, Perception, and Thinking (INTERCEPT) is a unique mental health program for people ages 15 to 28.

It addresses new and distressing symptoms in their early stages, offering ways to help prevent them from growing into more serious conditions. A main goal is to prevent psychotic disorders from developing in young people.

Symptoms

How to know when a young person is at risk? Look for changes in thinking and behavior. Symptoms can include:

  • Feeling suspicious of others
  • Feeling like things are unreal
  • Hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling things but wondering if others are sensing them too
  • Trouble with communication—what you're trying to communicate and/or your understanding of what others are trying to communicate to you
  • New ideas and beliefs that others might struggle to understand
  • Trouble with speaking in a direct, organized way
  • Withdrawing from friends and family
  • Difficulties in school or at work
  • Loss of motivation to do daily tasks
  • Trouble with attention, concentration, and memory
  • Changes in feelings and emotions
  • Changes in sleeping or eating patterns

Even if a young person is having symptoms of psychosis, it does not mean that they have or will later have schizophrenia. Many of these signs and symptoms can be related with other things, such as depression, anxiety, trauma, physical illness, injuries, or frequent drug and alcohol use.

So if a young person experiences any of these symptoms, it is important to talk to a mental-health professional specializing in the assessment and interventions for psychotic symptoms. The earlier the intervention, the better the outcomes.

UR Medicine's Approach

Through INTERCEPT, young people can learn to identify, monitor, and manage changes in behavior and mental health. Treatment is tailored to each person and can include individual and group therapy, problem solving, social skills training, goal planning, and more.

INTERCEPT aims to prevent early symptoms from turning into serious psychiatric conditions. Treatment, which is tailored to the unique needs of each patient, can include any of the following:

  • Clinical evaluation and assessment
  • Supportive counseling
  • Evidence-based psychotherapy – Individual, Group, and Family formats available
  • Following along or monitoring of symptoms
  • Relapse prevention
  • Clinical treatment with medication, if eligible
  • Case management services
  • Peer support
  • Assistance with accessing and navigating community supports and services (e.g., work and school)
  • Options to participate in research studies – generally aims to understand how to better help individuals with at-risk signs of serious mental illness

NOTE: Some services subject to patient need and eligibility.

What Sets Us Apart?

The program, supported by a grant from the Patrick P. Lee Foundation, is structured to minimize disruptions to school, work, and relationships. It can help young people make “course corrections” on their journey to mental wellness.

INTERCEPT is run by a team of specialists in child/adolescent and adult psychiatry who work with young people with serious psychiatric conditions. We also aim to provide services and supports that will help minimize disruptions to the young person’s ability to engage in school, work, and relationships.

Locations

We serve you in the Rochester metropolitan area and surrounding region.

1 location

INTERCEPT - Rochester

2613 West Henrietta Road, Suite E
Rochester, NY 14623

Additional Resources

Provider Referrals

If you are interested in the INTERCEPT program, please ask your doctor or mental health provider for a referral. Providers can review the Provider Referral Guide for more information and then complete our online referral form.

Complete our form to refer a patient today.

Provider Referral

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