Community Empowerment for Mental Health

(COPE Trial)

Overseen By Tara L Powell, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Louisiana State University and A&M College

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Not in Together Baton Rouge

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 6

300 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this clinical trial is to examine the impact of the Communities Organizing for Power through Empathy (COPE) intervention in adults in communities having recently experienced or at risk of experiencing disaster. The main questions it aims to answer are: * How does the COPE intervention affect individual mental health? * How does the COPE intervention affect protective factors like coping and social support? * How does the COPE intervention affect community resilience? * How does delivery of the COPE intervention in partnership with a broad-based organization affect participant recruitment and retention, as well as outcomes? Participants will participate in the three session COPE intervention. Researchers will compare individuals who participate in the COPE intervention to individuals who participate in house meetings to see if the COPE intervention improves mental health, coping, social support and community resilience. Researchers will also examine factors that affect implementation and intervention delivery.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It is best to consult with the trial coordinators for guidance.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment COPE: Communities Organizing for Power through Empathy?

Research suggests that participatory methods like COPE, which involve people with lived experience in the design and improvement of mental health services, can lead to empowerment, better quality of life, and improved health outcomes. These methods emphasize empathy, self-determination, and collaboration, which are key components of effective mental health care. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

What makes the COPE treatment unique for mental health?

The COPE treatment is unique because it focuses on empowering communities to collectively address mental health challenges through empathy and local engagement, rather than relying solely on traditional medical approaches. It emphasizes community involvement, cultural context, and social justice to enhance mental health outcomes. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Research Team

Jennifer L Scott, PhD, LCSW

Principal Investigator

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults over 18 who are staff or members of Together Baton Rouge. It's aimed at those involved in or affected by recent disasters, focusing on improving mental health and resilience.

Inclusion Criteria

I am 18 or older and involved with Together Baton Rouge in the intervention.

Exclusion Criteria

I am over 18, a member or staff of Together Baton Rouge, and involved with the intervention.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

COPE Intervention

Participants engage in a three-session brief group psychoeducational intervention delivered in groups of 8-15 people. Session 1 is 4 hours, Sessions 2 and 3 are 1.5 hours each, spaced 1 month apart.

3 months

3 sessions (in-person)

House Meeting Control

Participants in the control group attend a 1.5-hour group meeting delivered in groups of 8-15 people, spaced 1 month apart.

3 months

3 meetings (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in mental health, coping, social support, and community resilience at multiple timepoints post-intervention.

3 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• COPE: Communities Organizing for Power through Empathy

Trial Overview The COPE intervention, which includes three sessions designed to enhance mental well-being, coping skills, social support, and community resilience after a disaster. Its effectiveness will be compared with standard house meetings.

Participant Groups

Group I: COPE Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Is a three session brief group psychoeducational intervention. Session 1 is 4 hours, Session 2 and 3 are 1.5 hours. It is delivered in groups of 8-15 people with sessions spaced 1 month apart.

Group II: House Meeting Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Is a 1.5 hour group meeting delivered in groups of 8-15 people spaced 1 month apart.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Louisiana State University and A&M College

Lead Sponsor

Trials

12

Recruited

1,100+

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

300+

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Collaborator

Trials

203

Recruited

40,600+

Findings from Research

Consumer-run services (CRSs) developed by mental health consumers aim to empower individuals and promote recovery outcomes rather than simply treating mental illness, emphasizing self-determination and agency.

The effectiveness of CRSs is closely tied to their fidelity to the self-help movement; those that maintain participant agency show better outcomes, while those that operate in a hierarchical manner often lead to disappointment and minimal impact.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Consumer-run services research and implications for mental health care. Segal, SP., Hayes, SL.[2020]

Participatory methods in healthcare, particularly the Mental Health Experience Co-design (MH ECO), empower individuals with lived experiences of mental illness by involving them in the redesign and improvement of mental health services, which can lead to better health outcomes and quality of life.

The study identifies eight mechanisms of change that underpin MH ECO, such as recognition, dialogue, and cooperation, which help explain how these participatory approaches can effectively enhance service delivery and patient engagement in mental health care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Participatory Zeitgeist: an explanatory theoretical model of change in an era of coproduction and codesign in healthcare improvement. Palmer, VJ., Weavell, W., Callander, R., et al.[2020]

Improving participation in mental health care requires a focus on empathy, stigma reduction, and valuing the intrinsic aspects of care, which can enhance the integration of service users in health systems.

Incorporating individuals with lived experience as leaders and teachers in mental health services can redefine integrated care from the perspective of service users, ultimately leading to better outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Integrating service user participation in mental health care: what will it take? Lawn, S.[2022]

Mental health service users and their carers face significant barriers that prevent them from meaningfully engaging in care planning, which is crucial for personalized treatment.

Current research has not shown any measurable benefits or positive outcomes associated with mental health care planning, suggesting that it may not add value to patient care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Engagement of mental health service users and carers in care planning - Is it meaningful and adding value? Scott, R., Aboud, A.[2021]

A qualitative study involving 30 participants revealed that while some community mental health services provided good support, many individuals experienced stigma, ineffective support, and fragmented care.

The study emphasizes the importance of 'Relational Practice,' which focuses on delivering compassionate, individualized, and trauma-informed care, collaboratively planned with service users to effectively address their complex emotional needs.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Service user perspectives of community mental health services for people with complex emotional needs: a co-produced qualitative interview study. Trevillion, K., Stuart, R., Ocloo, J., et al.[2022]

The Movement for Global Mental Health emphasizes scaling up services and advocating for rights, but there is a critical need to engage more deeply with local communities to understand their unique cultural contexts and resilience strategies.

Community mental health competence, which involves collective action and partnerships, is essential for improving mental health outcomes and ensuring that the voices of vulnerable communities are heard and respected in global mental health initiatives.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The role of communities in advancing the goals of the Movement for Global Mental Health. Campbell, C., Burgess, R.[2016]

A community mental health empowerment model was successfully developed and implemented over four years in two white ethnic communities to address barriers to seeking and receiving mental health help.

The model focused on leveraging the strengths of individuals and neighborhoods, enhancing collaboration between lay and professional helpers to improve mental health support.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Help seeking and receiving in urban ethnic neighborhoods: strategies for empowerment. Biegel, DE.[2021]

A new 28-item scale to measure empowerment in mental health consumers was tested on 271 participants from self-help programs, revealing five key factors: self-efficacy, power, community activism, righteous anger, and optimism.

The study found that higher empowerment levels were associated with better quality of life and income, while being inversely related to the use of traditional mental health services, suggesting that empowered individuals may prefer community-based support over conventional treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A consumer-constructed scale to measure empowerment among users of mental health services. Rogers, ES., Chamberlin, J., Ellison, ML., et al.[2022]

The Portuguese version of the Empowerment Scale (ES) has been validated and shown to be reliable for assessing empowerment in mental health services, with a satisfactory reliability score of 0.79 based on a study of 213 participants.

The ES demonstrated strong construct-related validity, correlating positively with personal recovery (r = 0.71) and inversely with psychiatric symptoms (r = -0.22), indicating its effectiveness in evaluating recovery-oriented interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Properties of the Portuguese version of the empowerment scale with mental health organization users. Jorge-Monteiro, MF., Ornelas, JH.[2020]

The roundtable series on Citizenship, Social Justice, and Collective Empowerment highlighted the importance of involving individuals with lived experiences of mental health challenges in discussions about community inclusion and empowerment.

The citizenship framework promotes a sense of belonging and community connection, and the outcomes suggest that peer support can effectively enhance this sense of belonging for individuals facing mental health issues.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Citizenship, Social Justice and Collective Empowerment: Living Outside Mental Illness. Reis, G., Bromage, B., Rowe, M., et al.[2023]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Consumer-run services research and implications for mental health care. [2020]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Participatory Zeitgeist: an explanatory theoretical model of change in an era of coproduction and codesign in healthcare improvement. [2020]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Integrating service user participation in mental health care: what will it take? [2022]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Engagement of mental health service users and carers in care planning - Is it meaningful and adding value? [2021]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Service user perspectives of community mental health services for people with complex emotional needs: a co-produced qualitative interview study. [2022]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The role of communities in advancing the goals of the Movement for Global Mental Health. [2016]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Help seeking and receiving in urban ethnic neighborhoods: strategies for empowerment. [2021]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A consumer-constructed scale to measure empowerment among users of mental health services. [2022]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Properties of the Portuguese version of the empowerment scale with mental health organization users. [2020]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Citizenship, Social Justice and Collective Empowerment: Living Outside Mental Illness. [2023]