Original Research J Clin Psychiatry September 2026

Utilization of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics and Clozapine in Coordinated Specialty Care: Data From EPINET

JCP 2026;87(4):10.4088/JCP.26m16461

Full Article Read the complete peer-reviewed article in J Clin Psychiatry. Clinical Summary Many patients in early phase schizophrenia still relapse and are hospitalized despite coordinated specialty care, and 2 evidence-based medication strategies that can reduce this risk—long-acting injectable antipsychotics and clozapine—are often hard to implement in routine clinics. For psychiatrists treating first-episode psychosis, the key issue is not just whether these treatments work, but whether patients are actually getting them consistently across programs. FAQ How often were long-acting injectable antipsychotics and clozapine used in EPINET coordinated specialty care programs?

Key Takeaways In this EPINET sample of 5,324 participants, 1,261 (23.7%) received an LAI and 297 (5.6%) received clozapine at any point, suggesting that evidence-based pharmacotherapy remains uncommon even within coordinated specialty care. Clinical Guide How should clinicians use a long-acting injectable antipsychotic before concluding that persistent psychosis is treatment resistant? Clinical Guide How should a coordinated specialty care program review its own use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics and clozapine?