PREP Partnership Success

In 2007, a group of community members came together to sponsor the launch of ground-breaking therapeutic services that are so effective, we may soon see the day when psychosis can be remitted and schizophrenia prevented. Their donated funds made it possible for Family Service Agency to form a partnership with UCSF and bring to the community a new approach with results in clinical trial that were astonishingly

In 2007, a group of community members and foundations came together to sponsor the launch of ground-breaking therapeutic services that are so effective, we may soon see the day when psychosis can be remitted and schizophrenia prevented. Their donated funds made it possible for Family Service Agency to form a partnership with UCSF and bring to the community a new approach with results in clinical trial that were astonishingly positive. The PREP program was born. Since that day, the scale of the PREP program has been expanded in San Francisco and FSA has replicated PREP in Alameda County. The California Institute of Mental Health is so impressed with the results that it is facilitating conversations with counties throughout Northern California and FSA has been talking with San Mateo County about bring PREP to their community.

For an agency with a 120 year history of social pioneering it seems fitting that FSA, in partnership with UCSF, would develop such a groundbreaking treatment.

Why is it so important to prevent schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is an illness that devastates not only the life of its sufferer, but also family, friends, and the larger community.
About 1% of the population suffers from schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia sufferers die, on average, 25 years early, through suicide, misadventure, and the side effects of medication.

Initial results suggest that, if identified early, PREP can prevent psychosis from converting to schizophrenia and can help those with psychosis manage their symptoms and remit the condition.

“When I found out I was pregnant; I was so scared at what my mother would say and that I was going to disappoint her. One of my goals at that time was to get my high school diploma. I thought that dream was over. But FSA changed my life.”

Bob Cabaj, Director, San Francisco Community Behavioral Health Services