Our Strategic Plan

Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance (S&PAA) has launched a transformational agenda to lead a system-wide movement for change. Are you ready to join us?

The Problem

When someone suffers a medical emergency, they’re rushed to the hospital by ambulance, quickly diagnosed and given life-saving medical care with follow-up supportive services. But when that medical emergency is psychosis—which causes brain damage when left untreated—it’s often the police who respond, taking the person in handcuffs to the emergency room or jail. They’re more likely to be sedated than effectively treated. Eventually, they’ll be discharged to the street, with no follow-up care or support.

People with schizophrenia have been carved out of the medical system—because schizophrenia isn’t viewed as a medical condition. We treat the symptoms, not the disease. It is systemic negligence.

People with schizophrenia have the right to effective medicines, social support and housing, and recognition that they are people who want to live and thrive.

Our Plan

In 2021, S&PAA adopted a bold 10-year plan (2022-2031) for life-saving care, treatment policy, and research.

Our Areas of Strategic Focus

Promote Policy and Systems-Level Change

Support federal, state, and local policies with the best chances to save lives
Reclassify schizophrenia from a behavioral to a medical condition
Advocate for patients’ rights to life-sustaining treatment/services and medical professionals’ ability to treat without judicial oversight

Accelerate Disease Understanding/Treatment Access to Improve Patient/Caregiver Outcomes

Increase schizophrenia disease awareness and understanding
Showcase treatment options and expose and eliminate barriers to care
Amplify the impact of anosognosia on care decisions and treatment options

Amplify Treatment and Research Breakthroughs

Use thought leadership to reach more people
Expand patient and caregiver networks
Lead disease insights applied research
Accelerate novel/breakthrough treatments
Promote medical professional training and career development

Our Work Ahead

There is an urgent need to bridge the gap between accepted scientific fact and current systems of care for people living with schizophrenia and psychosis spectrum disorders. In the months ahead, we will pursue the following activities to improve access and quality of care with the best chances to help end harmful public policy decisions and insufficient treatment options for patients:

Conduct a global systems-level analysis of reclassification of schizophrenia from a behavioral to a medical condition to identify specific tactics for transforming existing barriers to treatment and care
Serve as a catalyst in support of research which can lead to new treatments for patients with a clinical high risk of psychosis spectrum disorders
Conduct and publicly share additional data-driven economic research to identify the total societal costs of schizophrenia in order to establish foundational knowledge that shapes more effective public policies
Provide support and education to those living with schizophrenia and psychosis spectrum disorders
Partner with industry to ensure new therapeutics are safe, effective, and have the best chances for regulatory success