Clinical trial NCT03118388: Engaging Homeless Youth in Vocational Training to Meet Their Mental Health Needs
Official title: Engaging Homeless Youth in Vocational Training to Meet Their Mental Health Needs
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE2
Conditions: Mental Disorder
Mental Health
Employment
Housing Problems
Social Support
Lead sponsor: Arizona State University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: University of Southern California
First posted: 2017-04-18
Enrollment: 72
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 16
Maximum age (years): 24
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: The SEI model was implemented in four stages: 1) Vocational skill acquisition (4 months); 2) Small business skill acquisition (4 months); 3) SEI formation and product distribution (12 months); and 4) Clinical/case-management services, (ongoing for 20 months). The eight IPS principles were implemented over 20 months by an employment specialist, clinician, and case manager.
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) compared the efficacy between the Social Enterprise Intervention (SEI) and Individual Placement and Support (IPS) with homeless youth with mental illness.

Methods: Non-probability quota sampling sampling was used to recruit 72 homeless youth from one agency, who were randomized to the SEI (n=36) or IPS (n=36) conditions.

Detailed description: In response to the limited use of RCTs with homeless youth to test research-supported interventions, this study compares the efficacy and short-term outcomes of two interventions that combine employment and clinical services with homeless youth experiencing mental illness. The Social Enterprise Intervention (SEI) is a research-supported intervention using a group approach that engages homeless youth in paid employment as well as case-management and mental health services through involvement in an agency-run social enterprise. The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment is an individually focused, evidence-based intervention , which provides individuals with severe mental illness with customized, long-term, and integrated vocational, case-management, and clinical services to help them gain and maintain competitive employment.

A randomized comparative efficacy trial of the short-term, nonvocational outcomes (depression, self-esteem, social support, housing stability) of the SEI and IPS was conducted over 20 months with 72 homeless youth at a homeless youth drop-in center in Los Angeles. This study answered two research questions: 1) Do homeless youth with mental illness participating in an employment intervention integrated with clinical services (SEI or IPS) experience improvements in their a) mental health status (self-esteem and depression); b) housing stability, and c) social support; and 2) What are the differences between the SEI and IPS groups on mental health, housing stability, and social support outcomes between baseline and follow-up?

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 16-24
* English speaking
* Primary clinical diagnosis in the past year (with at least one symptom in the past 4 weeks) using the DISC-Y interview for one of six mental illnesses (i.e., Major Depressive Episode, Mania/ Hypomania, Generalized Anxiety, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and Alcohol/Substance Use Disorders
* Desire to work.

Exclusion Criteria:

* None

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in depression between baseline and follow-up (using the Adult Self-Report)
timeFrame: 20 months
measure: Change in social support between baseline and follow-up (using the Adult Self-Report)
timeFrame: 20 months
measure: Change in housing stability status between baseline and follow-up (using a 3-item self-report measure of housing status)
timeFrame: 20 months
measure: Change in self-esteem between baseline and follow-up (using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale)
timeFrame: 20 months
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
Study officials:
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