About the EAST Program

Mid-Valley Behavioral Care Network (MVBCN) is a managed mental healthcare organization responsible for Oregon Health Plan services in five Oregon counties: Linn, Marion, Polk, Tillamook and Yamhill Counties. MVBCN’s governing board consists of the county commissioners from each county, with direction from a regional advisory board of consumer-advocates and mental health and chemical dependency service providers. MVBCN was created in 1997 with a goal of bringing preventive approaches and the most current evidence-based services to its communities.

MVBCN created the Early Assessment and Support Team (EAST) in 2001 based on the work of the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Center (EPPIC) in Melbourne, Australia. The goal of EAST is to prevent the disability caused by schizophrenia and related disorders by providing community education and early, rapid treatment and support based on the most current research. Although MVBCN’s primary focus at this time is on serving Oregon Health Plan members, EAST is viewed as a prevention initiative and is available regardless of funding source.

EAST is delivered through a regional clinical office Salem, Oregon, with local staff based out of Linn County Mental Health, Polk County Mental Health, Yamhill County Mental Health, and Tillamook Family Counseling Center.

In 2007, EAST became part of a national study sponsored by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, called “Early Detection and Intervention for the Prevention of Psychosis Project” (EDIPPP). The study is led by Maine Medical Center, and includes four other sites. The study is focused on individuals who have developed symptoms which are either very recent (within the last 30 days), or at a lower level of severity. The hope is that by identifying the symptoms early, the person will have fewer negative consequences as a result of untreated illness.