3 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
The prevalence of overweight and obesity in youth with serious emotional disturbance (SED) exceeds the epidemic levels of overweight and obesity for children in the general population. Associated cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors such as glucose intolerance, hypertension and lipid abnormalities frequently already exist in obese children. Thus, focusing on overweight/obesity in youth with SED is critical to prevent their premature CVD. In 2015 the American Heart Association called attention to mental illnesses in youth as important risk conditions for early CVD and declared the need for transformational change in screening and management of overweight and obesity. Despite this, studies of healthy weight interventions in youth with SED are noticeably absent, and interventions will likely need to be tailored for this population who frequently have impulsivity, oppositional behavior and/or mood symptoms. In the general population, successful interventions targeting youth obesity often include active parental participation. Community mental health programs serving youth typically engage parents as part of routine treatment and therefore provide an unappreciated but potentially important opportunity to address overweight and obesity. The objective of this study is to design and rigorously test an innovative, scalable healthy weight intervention in youth with SED that incorporates parental engagement and provider support. The CHAMPION Trial is a two-arm trial partnering with community mental health organizations in Maryland. We will perform population-based screening to identify youth with overweight and obesity, and recruit and enroll 120 ages 8-18 years with SED with a BMI at or above the 85th%tile. The study will stratify by sex and site and randomly assign participants to receive a) usual care plus educational materials on healthy weight, or b) the 12-month CHAMPION intervention with a health coach who provides healthy lifestyle counseling and support for weight management, a healthy diet and increased physical activity incorporating techniques to engage both the youth and parents. The intervention's first 6 months will include frequent contacts, followed by a 6-month maintenance phase. The primary outcome will be decreased BMI z-score compared to control at 12 months; secondary outcomes include waist circumference, blood pressure, glucose, lipid levels, quality of life, and psychiatric symptoms at 6 and 12 mo. Antecedents of CVD begin early in youth, and those with SED are at particularly high risk. Breaking this cascade of risk factors leading to premature CVD will require capitalizing on the window of opportunity to intervene on overweight and obesity in youth with SED. The CHAMPION Trial will test an innovative, yet practical approach that could be readily incorporated into overall care of youth with SED.
The purpose of this Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project is to complete development and evaluate usability and effectiveness of the Wraparound Team Monitoring System (Wrap-TMS), a web-based, electronic behavioral health information system (EBHIS) for the most widely implemented care coordination model in children's behavioral health, the wraparound process. Though wraparound is now considered "evidence-based," implementation in the real world often fails to conform to standards of fidelity and/or use objective data to guide management, supervision, and clinical decision making. Availability of such a system will support efficiency, implementation quality and fidelity, and outcomes for youths enrolled in wraparound. Wrap-TMS features functionality for data entry, management, and basic reporting for the full array of data and information elements needed to manage an integrated care coordination initiative for youths with serious emotional and behavioral disorder (SEBD). In light of our success in Phase I, subsequent partnerships with federal agencies, and inquiries of interest from several states and over 20 provider and managed care organizations, in this Phase II STTR the investigators will complete development of Wrap-TMS, followed by a randomized controlled effectiveness study comparing n=25 wraparound facilitators who use Wrap-TMS serving n=100 families to 25 non-user facilitators serving 100 families on practitioner, implementation, and youth/family outcomes. The evaluation will test two primary hypotheses: 1. Compared to facilitators in the control group, wraparound facilitators trained to use Wrap-TMS will demonstrate (a) greater use of data and feedback in service delivery; (b) greater fidelity to the wraparound process; (c) higher self-reported teamwork, working alliance, and satisfaction with the intervention; and (d) more positive attitudes toward standardized assessment. 2. Compared to the control group, parents of youths receiving services from facilitators trained to use TMS will report (a) greater goal clarity, (b) more data collection and use (c) greater satisfaction with services and progress, (d) better fidelity to wraparound, (e) more effective team functioning, (f) greater treatment alliance, and (f) better youth outcomes including greater progress and improved symptoms and functioning.
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.