Family Health and Development Project
Condition: Serious Emotional Disturbance
MeSH terms: Affective Symptoms
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 3

Summary: 
      The Family Health and Development Project (FHDP) is a randomized controlled trial to evaluate
      the effectiveness of the Intensive In-home Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Service (IICAPS)
      intervention, targeting emotionally, behaviorally, and/or psychiatrically disordered children
      at risk of a psychiatric inpatient admission and their families. Children and families are
      randomized to receive IICAPS or Home-based Child Treatment Coordination (Home-based CTC), a
      home-based case management intervention for coordination of mental health services for
      children. Approximately 144 children and their families will be enrolled for a 12 month study
      period. Data will be collected through interviews with the child's parent/legal guardian, and
      from the child's teacher, the child's school, and the Department of Social Services (claims
      data). This study will test the hypotheses that children receiving IICAPS will be less likely
      to exhibit out-of-control behaviors and less likely to experience a psychiatric
      hospitalization and/or out-of-home placement during and up to six months post-discharge from
      services.
    

Detailed description: 
      The Family Health and Development Project (FHDP) is a randomized controlled trial to evaluate
      the effectiveness of the Intensive In-home Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Service (IICAPS)
      intervention, targeting emotionally, behaviorally, and/or psychiatrically disordered children
      at risk of a psychiatric inpatient admission and their families. Children and families are
      randomized to receive IICAPS or Home-based Child Treatment Coordination (Home-based CTC), a
      home-based case management intervention for coordination of mental health services for
      children. Approximately 144 children and their families will be enrolled for a 12 month study
      period. Each study intervention is six to seven months in duration, with approximately 6
      additional months of follow-up.

      Data are collected from the identified child's parent/legal guardian during three in-person
      assessment interviews (at enrollment, at end of study treatment, and at 12-months), and
      during brief monthly phone interviews. Data are collected on child psychiatric symptoms and
      behavior, child psychiatric inpatient admissions and other service utilization, parenting
      practices, and parental problem solving skills. Additional data are collected from the
      child's teacher (child's behavior at school) and the child's school (days missed,
      suspensions, expulsions, disciplinary action) at baseline, 6-months, and 12-months. Service
      utilization data will be collected from the Connecticut Department of Social Services using
      claims data.

      The main study aim is to evaluate the efficacy of IICAPS for youth with serious and pervasive
      mental health problems that places them at risk for institutional placement, and test the
      hypotheses that children receiving IICAPS will be less likely to exhibit out-of-control
      behaviors and less likely to experience a psychiatric hospitalization and/or out-of-home
      placement during and up to six months post-discharge from services. The second study aim is
      to evaluate how the efficacy of IICAPS for youth with serious and pervasive mental health
      problems is achieved, with specific focus on parenting practices, parental problem solving
      techniques, and parental perception of the child.
    

Intervention name(s): Intensive In-home Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Service; Home-based Child Treatment Coordination
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): A six to seven month intensive intervention provided by a clinical team consisting of a master's-level clinician and a bachelor's-level mental health counselor delivering comprehensive psychiatric and case management services in the child's home. One or both members of the team works with the child and the family three times a week in the home. Delivery of direct and indirect services average 5.5 hours of service per week.; A six to seven month home-based case management service delivered by a master's level clinician. The coordinator meets with the child's parent/legal guardian in the child's home once a month and conducts weekly phone conversations to facilitate referral and access to appropriate mental health services for the child.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Health Services Research
Keywords: mental health services; child behavior disorders; child psychiatry