“What was new for me as a healthcare provider was how very, very subtle these symptoms can be. And what the PIER Program did was elucidate for me, just make it much clearer, that it was OK to just simply have a suspicion and to let somebody screen that student for me.”University Healthcare Provider
“Following confidential assessment, with her permission, we developed an intervention plan that helped her stay in school.”Mother of PIER Model Client
“PIER training and certification allowed our organization to get personal attention and direction from the experts who developed this amazing and successful model for Early Detection and Intervention for the Prevention of Psychosis.”Maria Morgan, MFT. Program Director, Providence Community Services
“Both the teacher and the social worker had been taught to notice and recognize the early indicators of a severe mental illness in adolescents and young adults, so Katie was referred to Maine’s Portland Identification and Early Referral (PIER) Program. The multi-disciplinary PIER team was able to help Katie stay in school.”Sarah Lynch, LCSW
“When members of McFarlane’s clinical team gather each day to discuss cases, they know virtually everything about their kids: they know about boyfriends, girlfriends and summer plans. They know the kids’ grades in English class …This is what prevention of mental illness looks like: unwavering, sweeping, complicated. But it works.”Staying Sane May Be Easier Than You Think - Time Magazine, June 2009
“As clinicians we understand treatments and know how to do therapy. We also know that families have a vast amount of power and knowledge about who they are and what works in their family, and also have great influence over each other.”Phil Collin, LCSW, PIER Program Social Worker
“Loved how PTI displayed team work, empathy, and a desire to help return clients back into their communities.”PIER Model Trainee
“Not only did I make friends, but it was comforting to see other families going through the same thing.”MFG therapy and PIER Model client
“It gave us tools to deal with not only our children’s issues, but with our own issues as parents. It helped us get through the worst time of our lives.”Mother of PIER Model Client
“I’m not really sure what I’m going to do now, but I know that I’m going to be OK, and that’s all that really matters.”PIER Model Client.
“The trainers were very helpful and took time to address all the questions and concerns brought up every day of the training.”PIER Model Trainee