YES: Youth Early-Intervention Study in Functional Recovery

INTERVENTION: The YES intervention program consists of 3 eight week terms over a year. Between each term is a 3 week washout period, when the intervention programs are not run. This randomised, crossover, longitudinal study has two arms. Each arm of the trial requires 4 hours per week or 32 hours of treatment over a 8 week period. The treatment period consists of 16 weeks with a 3 week washout period between treatment arms. arm A: randomised as an "A" This arm of the trial focuses on social interaction and well being. There are two weekly interventions: anxious art(2.5 hrs) and Buddhist Mindfulness (1.5hrs) Participants can attend one or both of the workshops within their stream. Interventions are based on social exposure principals which encourage and support participants to practise self soothing and coping strategies and promote illness insight, reduction in disorder symptoms. Adherence to the program is encouraged through weekly text and e‐mail reminders about intervention times and venues. Attendance, per intervention session is collected and included in the main data base. Study measures are collected at baseline prior to randomisation, week 1 of the term and are repeated at week 8 of the term. After the washout period, measures are again repeated at week one and week eight of the second intervention period. Follow up is at 12 months CONDITION: mental health mood disorders and psychoses PRIMARY OUTCOME: Primary outcome: reduce the levels of social disability associated with the progression of mental illness. ; primary outcome measure: Social Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS). Initial assessment using this scale is done by the Trial Researcher. The following SOFAs at week one and week 8 of the intervention terms, and at 12 month follow up, are completed by the participants treating doctor/clinician. SECONDARY OUTCOME: validate the FAST (Functioning Assessment Short Tool) for a youth population, across mental health diagnosis INCLUSION CRITERIA: Help seeking young people aged between 14 and 25 with mood disorder/psychosis who have increased Cardio Metabolic Syndrome risk factors, social and cognitive difficulties as determined by their treating doctor/clinician. Must speak fluent english