Program for Early Intervention & Prevention of Disability (PEIPOD)

Who we are:

PEIPOD is a public mental health service for young people aged 16 – 25 years from the Inner-City area of Sydney. We are a multi-disciplinary team consisting of a psychiatrist, psychiatric registrar, social worker, occupational therapist, clinical psychologist, and registered nurse.

What do we do:

We work with young people who are experiencing emerging psychotic illnesses or severe mood disorders. We may provide support directly to a young person, help them to link in with other supports, and/ or provide support to other people who are already in their network.1We deliver individually tailored collaborative service that comprises of:

  • Mental health assessment 
  • Functional assessment
  • Case management 
  • Medication prescription and management
  • Psychological therapy
  • Psychoeducation
  • Peer support
  • Family/ carer support
  • Vocational interventions
  • Educational assistance
  • Intensive outreach

Eligibility Criteria:

  1. Aged 16 - 25 years, and
  2. Living within St Vincent’s catchment area (see below), and
  3. Experiencing first episode of psychosis or mania, or
  4. Have a recent onset (within the last two years) of psychotic illness, or
  5. Presenting with prodromal or ‘ultra-high risk mental state’ (genetic trait/ attenuated symptoms) for psychosis 

How to refer:

  • External referrals can be made via the Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511.
  • The PEIPOD team can be contacted via the O'Brien Centre reception on (02) 8382 1301 to discuss any potential referral queries.

Hours of operation:

Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm. 

 Please contact the Mental Health Access line on 1800 011 511 or 000 in emergencies for any mental health concerns outside of these hours.

Mental Health Catchment Area

Catchment area