Family Navigator Plus for Families

(FN+ Trial)

Overseen By Heather J Risser, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Northwestern University

Disqualifiers: Participated in FN+ or PROACTIVE

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 6

Duration: 5 weeks

12 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The investigators have designed a 5-week Family Navigator Plus (FN+) educational program to support foster parents in better understanding their youth's mental health needs and in finding mental health services. The purpose of this interventional study is to assess the the program's acceptability (e.g., satisfaction, barriers to participation, and burden), utility (e.g., how useful foster parents found the program to be), and feasibility (e.g., number referred who meet eligibility, time to complete assessments, self-reported feasibility). The investigators hypothesize that our program will be acceptable, useful, and feasible for foster parents of youth with mental health needs.

Research Team

Heather J Risser, PhD

Principal Investigator

Northwestern University

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for foster parents who are looking to better understand and manage the mental health needs of their foster children. It's designed to help them navigate finding mental health services effectively.

Inclusion Criteria

Has access to internet and videoconferencing

I am a foster parent of a child aged 6-17 with mental health needs.

Living in Illinois, United States

Exclusion Criteria

Participated in the FN+ Focus Groups or PROACTIVE Parent Pilot Study

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants attend a 5-week Family Navigator Plus (FN+) educational program to support foster parents in understanding their youth's mental health needs and finding mental health services.

5 weeks

5 sessions (in-person or virtual, one per week)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after the educational program, including assessments of satisfaction, utility, and barriers to participation.

3 months

1 visit (in-person or virtual) at 3 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Family Navigator Plus

Trial Overview The study is testing a new 5-week educational program called Family Navigator Plus (FN+). The goal is to see if this program helps foster parents by being satisfactory, not too burdensome, and useful in managing their youth's mental health needs.

Participant Groups

Group I: Foster Parents Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will consist of adult (age 18 and older) foster parents of youth between the ages of 6 and 17 with mental health needs. Participants will be located in Illinois, and be either English or Spanish speaking. Participants will attend a 5-week educational program (one session per week) that aims to support them in understanding child behaviors, finding and access mental health services, communicating with providers, and using technology to find support.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Northwestern University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,674

Recruited

989,000+

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborator

Trials

3,007

Recruited

2,852,000+