Abstract
Following the recognition of patients with first onset psychosis as a special needs group, there has been a significant growth in clinical and research interest in this area [1]. Identified issues have included: the earliest possible detection of the illness [2]; the interaction between developmental needs of adolescents and the trauma of the illness [3]; evaluating the evidence concerning the relative effectiveness of early interventions [4]; and determining the impact on long term health outcomes for young persons who are treated assertively in the early stages of psychosis [3].