Mental Health Navigation for Foster Care Youth
(FCFN Trial)

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

Overseen byMarina Tolou-Shams, Ph.D

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?This study will focus on developing and testing a family-based mental health navigator intervention, the Foster Care Family Navigator (FCFN), to evaluate whether the intervention combined with mHealth would be efficacious in improving mental health service initiation and engagement for child welfare-involved youth.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for English-speaking youth aged 12-17 who are involved in the San Francisco child welfare system and have a caregiver able to give consent. Participants must be open to services from SF DPH Foster Care Mental Health Clinic and have mobile phone access. Those without an English-speaking ability or with caregivers unable to consent due to impairment are excluded.

Inclusion Criteria

I am between 12 and 17 years old.

I am a young person who speaks English.

Family has mobile phone access

+3 more

Exclusion Criteria

Caregiver has impairment that would preclude providing informed consent

Unavailable guardian for consent

I am a young person who does not speak English.

Participant Groups

The study tests a new approach called the Foster Care Family Navigator (FCFN), which uses family-based mental health navigation combined with mobile health technology, aiming to improve how young people start and continue with mental health services.

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Family-based mental health navigationExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Family-based navigator intervention combined with mHealth practices to improve mental health treatment initiation and engagement

Group II: Standard of care, then family-based mental health navigationActive Control2 Interventions

During wait-list period receive standard of care engagement practices and services-as-usual, and after the wait-list period the participants receive the family-based navigator intervention combined with mHealth practices