Background: The author developed a psycho-education program for use as a tool within his private practice at a 20-bed psychiatric hospital in Sydney dedicated to the management of young adults aged 16-25 years with mood, anxiety, psychotic and personality disorders. The aim of the program was to complement and enhance face-to-face clinical treatment, to improve the patient’s understanding of their psychopathology and treatment options, engagement, medication compliance, employment of psychological skills and strategies and collaborative multidisciplinary care.

Objectives: The aim of this presentation is to discuss 1. the development process, content and technological features and 2. clinical utility of the tool.

Methods: The development process took place over a three-year period ‘in the field’ with feedback continuously sought from patients, families, psychiatry trainees and allied health staff. This dynamic process of ‘natural selection’ enabled the author to regularly assess clinical utility and refine content in order to meet the tool’s aims.

Findings and Conclusions: The novel attributes of the program developed were:

1)  Sequential modules based on the priority treatment needs of inpatients using principles derived from evidence-based interventions;

2)  Practical models of health and psychopathology derived from neuroscience research, using simple metaphorical illustrations and jargon-free ordinary language;

3)  An electronic delivery method with a graphical user interface to resonate with a computer-literate Generation Y’s and to lay down the foundations for a personalised, 24/7 multi-platform resource for desktops, smartphones and tablets enhancing accessibility to, and regularity of, treatment;

4)  An in-house education resource to facilitate the provision of consistency, cohesion and containment by the multidisciplinary team.

In general, feedback from all stakeholders was very positive and minimal resistance was encountered. Using an electronic medium to deliver psycho-education allows the potential for the evolution to an online version that may also be an attractive and beneficial tool for clinicians to direct patients to use to complement individual care.