Mental Health Screenings for African-American Children's Well-being

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Joni Splett, Ph.D

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Florida

Disqualifiers: Wards of the state

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

19106 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this study is to compare two versions of school-based mental health screening to improve the receipt of mental health services among elementary school students.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Enhanced Screening, Screening Only for African-American children's mental health?

Research shows that mental health screenings in schools can help identify mental health concerns early, which can improve long-term development and success for students. Additionally, routine screenings for depression and anxiety in racial/ethnic minority children, like African-American children, can be beneficial, especially given the rising mental health challenges in these communities. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is mental health screening safe for African-American children?

The research does not provide specific safety data for mental health screenings in African-American children, but it highlights the importance of routine screenings to address potential biases and improve access to care. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

How does the mental health screening treatment for African-American children differ from other treatments?

This treatment is unique because it focuses on routine mental health screenings specifically for African-American children, aiming to identify mental health issues early and facilitate access to care, which is crucial given the socio-economic challenges and potential assessment biases they face. ^{1 2 3 8 9}

Research Team

Joni Splett, Ph.D

Principal Investigator

University of Florida

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for elementary school students at certain schools where the study is taking place. It's aimed to help African-American children with mental health needs. Children who are under the care of the state or any institution other than their family cannot participate.

Inclusion Criteria

School intervention teams at study school

Students at study school

Exclusion Criteria

Students who are wards of the state or any other institution, agency, or entity

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Implementation of school-based mental health enhancements, including bias and mental health literacy training for school teams

2 school years

Ongoing school-based activities

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in mental health intervention referrals and disciplinary encounters

2 school years

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Enhanced Screening
• Screening Only

Trial Overview The study is testing two methods: one group will receive a basic mental health screening, while another group gets an enhanced screening process. The goal is to see which method leads to better access and use of mental health services.

Participant Groups

Group I: Enhanced Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The enhanced arm involves the enhancements to school-based mental health (SBMH) of the comparator arm with the addition of 3 additional empirically supported enhancements to mental health screening: 1) voluntary school teams will review screening and service receipt data disaggregated by racial/ethnic subgroups to identify and problem solve inequities; 2) Unintentional bias training for voluntary school teams, involving teaching participants to conceptualize prejudice as well as strategies to reduce bias; and 3) Mental Health Literacy training for voluntary school teams in awareness and understanding of students' mental health well-being and need for intervention.

Group II: Comparator Active Control 1 Intervention

The comparator arm enhances school-based mental health (SBMH) with universal screening and trains voluntary school teams to use the school-wide data to plan and make intervention referrals using an evidence-based in-service training and coaching model called Team-Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS).

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Florida

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,428

Recruited

987,000+

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute

Collaborator

Trials

592

Recruited

27,110,000+

References

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

Mental health screening of African American adolescents and facilitated access to care. [2022]

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

Behavioral health services following implementation of screening in Massachusetts Medicaid children. [2021]

3. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mental health problems of black and white children in a nationally representative epidemiologic survey. [2023]

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

Advancing Mental Health Screening in Schools: Innovative, Field-Tested Practices and Observed Trends During a 15-Month Learning Collaborative. [2023]

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

Child and Adolescent Mental Disorders and Health Care Disparities: Results from the National Survey of Children's Health, 2011-2012. [2021]

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

Screening for Both Child Behavior and Social Determinants of Health in Pediatric Primary Care. [2020]

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

Screening for behavioral health issues in children enrolled in Massachusetts Medicaid. [2023]

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

Preliminary examination of a new mental health screener in a pediatric sample. [2010]

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

Mental Health Screening Quality Improvement Learning Collaborative in Pediatric Primary Care. [2017]